Written In The Stars
by XFeelXTheXLoveX
Summary: It's funny just how one random ordinary day can change your life when you run into a complete stranger. Especially when that stranger isn't normal in any way what so ever and can take you on adventures that you can only dream about. Even if it does mean leaving everyone you love and risking your life. Or better yet, dying.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! New story! I have a boat load of inspiration for this story lol. Okay, so I need to explain something to you all about this story.**

**It is based around Doctor Who & Merlin (again for Merlin) because.. well.. why not? lol. Well... Episode wise it's based around Doctor Who and Merlin as for the magic, regenerating etc.. no. lol. I think as far as it gets all Doctor Who-y is the Tardis, the Dalek's, Cyber men, stuff like that and that's about it? I don't know.. lol. But hopefully you guys will like and read it, even if you don't like Doctor Who or Merlin. I am going to try make this story my own as much as I can. But, that'll probably end up failing haha.**

**For those who DO watch Doctor Who.. by the order of who comes into it.. I think your going to guess who's suppose to be Rose, Martha, Donna etc. Just saying.. Especially with the first chapter lol. Actually, you'll get it by the order of the cast for who's who haha. Some of them will take a very long while to come in to the story btw.**

**The love interest is REALLY hard to describe in this story.. like.. it's pretty clear later on, but it's kind of confusing.. but for those who know already will know the love interest.**

**Anyway, enough of me talking.. onto the story! :)**

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**Summery: **It's funny just how one random ordinary day can change your life when you run into a complete stranger. Especially when that stranger isn't normal in any way what so ever and can take you on adventures that you can only dream about. Even if it does mean leaving everyone you love and risking your life. Or better yet, dying.

**Language: **English

**Genre: **Sci-Fi, Drama, Humour, Adventure, Fantasy, Friendship, Romance, Tragedy, Hurt/Comfort, Supernatural

**Category: **R5, Austin & Ally

**Starring: **Ross Lynch, Ellington Ratliff, Laura Marano, Rocky Lynch, Rydel Lynch, Riker Lynch

**Couples: **You'll figure it out

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**Chapter 1**

Ratliff woke up to his usual business that he had to do for the day, which was pretty much nothing. Except go out for a bit and meet up with a couple of friends, come back home, and then get changed seen as though Jenna, Ratliff's little sister, and Emily, Ratliff's girlfriend, were basically forcing him to come out and be social for the night. And what better way to do that then go to a club. Perfect. Not that Ratliff would be taking part in whatever they would be up to, it'd be Jenna and Emily's friends anyway which are mainly girls. Though, Jenna does seem to have quite a few friends that are boys.. so no doubt he'll have to watch out for them because.. a boy and a girl going out getting drunk.. might not end well.

Don't get him wrong, he loved spending time with his sister and all but he was getting tired of the same old shit lately. He'd much rather be somewhere else. Now he would wish to be with his older brother Matty, but Matty's dead. He died when Ratliff was 10 and Jenna was 8, there was two years between them all so that made Matty 12. It's not natural for a kid that young to die, is it? Then again it's not right for your stupid drunken Dad to go out in the car with his son and end up crashing the car with him in it, is he? Luckily Ratliff and Jenna's Mom managed to keep them both away from their Dad, but it was too late for Matty. Man, how he can remember that night badly. He sighed and just shut off them thoughts from his mind before going down the stairs.

Once he got to the bottom of the stairs, he ended up tripping up and falling over something that was there. He sighed, looking at what it was to find it was one of Jenna's shoes. Ratliff picked up the shoe, "Jenna!" Ratliff called. Jenna popped out from the top of her room, looking down the stairs seen as though they were directly in front of her room. The next thing she knew she saw a shoe coming right at her face, by then it was too late to shut the door and it smacked her. "RATLIFF!" Jenna screamed.

Ratliff just laughed as he grabbed his coat and house keys off the side "Don't let me trip over your shoes and it won't happen." Ratliff said, looking up the stairs only for him to have to dodge the same shoe Jenna decided to throw back at him.

Even though Jenna never really listened to him most of the time, as she only saw Ratliff as her annoying older brother that's job on this earth was to annoy her until her brain exploded, but he had to be there for her and act like some kind of adult/father figure to her. A while ago, say 4 years? Their Mom passed away, seen as though their Dad was no longer around after what happened their Grandma had to look after them. Their Grandma was way too old at the time to be looking after kids, and because Ratliff was pretty much old enough to understand how to look after a child - given he was 14 almost 15 - it was pretty much up to him to look after Jenna and make sure she was looked after properly. About half a year ago, their Grandma had passed away. Ratliff was already 18 by then so he could look after Jenna by himself without having her taken away to be adopted by some kind of family that would probably treat her poorly. He didn't want that for his baby sister.

"Now, unfortunately, I will be back later because of you and Emily, but for now, try not to burn the house down." He said, smiling up at her sarcastically.

Jenna just rolled her eyes "Shut up, I'll burn you before I burn the house down."

"Love you too." Ratliff said sarcastically as he stuck his thumbs up.

Jenna just smiled down at him with sarcasm also before she twirled around and shut her bedroom door, her brother was a real pain in the ass. Sometimes she wondered what it would be like if Matty was still here, then she starts to think it would probably be even worse. Living with two boys? A nightmare more than likely. Not really, she's kidding. She barely remembers Matty, she was only 8. It's not exactly a nice thing to be told when your that young. Everyone in her family just seemed to die or disappear, take her Dad for instance. But she couldn't care less.

She knows Ratliff's nothing like him or any of the others, but sometimes she thinks she wouldn't be surprised if Ratliff just all of a sudden died or better yet.. disappeared or just left her on her own for something else that's better. But she knows deep down he would never do that too her.

Right?

Ratliff walked out of the house and made his way down the street to go to work, working at a shop wasn't exactly the most exciting job in the world but hey-ho.. a jobs a job and if it gives him money he really doesn't care in the slightest.

He turned the corner and could see the shop in the distance, which was about 5 minutes away at the most. 2 if he runs or walks fast enough. He proceeded down the street as fast as he could, but he was stopped when some blonde guy about his age, at least he looked that age, jumped out right in front of him causing Ratliff to jump almost out of his skin.

"Do you see me?" The blonde asked.

Ratliff nodded "Yes I see you! You just put the shits up me you fucking ass hole." Ratliff said, trying to get his heart rate back down to normal.

The blonde smiled "Good," He said, seeming pleased with himself that he had scared Ratliff. In which he was "Keep that in mind for later, okay?" He said, before he disappeared up down the alley way.

Ratliff turned his head from left to right, looking confused as ever "What the hell? Who was.. Who was that?!"

He was that confused and in a bit of shock by that, luckily he managed to pull himself out of it and basically ran down to where he worked, keeping on looking back from where the blonde guy had jumped out at him.

That's when he collided with someone, he turned around and saw it was the blonde again. "One last thing," He said "do you have something on you that you don't need?" He asked. Ratliff gave him a strange look "Look, I'll give it back later I can promise you that," The blonde said returning to smile "heck.. it's certain I will.. I just need to prove something to you."

"To me?" Ratliff asked, going into his pocket to look for something "I don't even know you.. do I?"

The blonde shrugged "Maybe." Ratliff pulled out a piece of paper, it had writing on it. Writing on it from a game he and some of his friends had played, they had to come up with two words and some how Ratliff ended up with 'Bad Wolf' off someone. He can't believe he kept it, "Here," Ratliff handed it to him "it has writing on it. I can't remember why I kept it. But you don't have to give it back to me."

The blonde looked down to the piece of paper "Bad wolf?" He repeated "wow. Okay, see you later Ratliff." He said, disappearing.

"bye." Ratliff continued to walk, but then he stopped. How did that guy know his name? He turned around to look, but decided it wasn't the best idea in the whole world.

"I need you to do me a favour." Ratliff's boss said, putting a bag full of trash by the counter. She looked at it, at Ratliff and at the back door. Ratliff sighed, he knew what that meant. Everyday 'put the trash out Ratliff.' 'do this Ratliff, do that Ratliff,' all he ever got.

He groaned "Can't you do it? It's almost time for me to go home.." instead, his boss shook her head and walked away. Ratliff shook his head and picked up the bin bag, making his way too the back door. He kicked the door open and stepped into the alley way.

Ratliff sighed heavily, seeing the bin was on the other side of the alley. Even though it was like 2 or 3 metres away, he didn't care he was too lazy to finish off the day. He basically dragged himself across the alley until he reached the bin, opening the top bit up and swinging the bin bag into the bin. He shut it. He spun round, but his arm ended up hitting something that was covered up beside the bin. And it hurt like a bitch.

"Ow." Ratliff hissed in pain.

Who covers up something metal in the alley way? Though what was he thinking, people do cover stuff up in the alley way if it's metal and not useful anymore. But if it's not useful anymore, it wouldn't harm him in looking at what almost broke his arm into four, would it?

He lifted up the cover and threw it off, it was pretty big. It was almost bigger than him. The cover fell off onto the floor as he looked at what it was, his mouth almost dropped open. Someone tried to build some kind of robot and failed? Least.. that's how he's taking it. Though, he will admit.. it was a pretty good attempt at it. It looks good.

Like he was thinking before, whatever it was, stood almost as tall as Ratliff, it was wide, kind of pointing outwards at the front. It was a very clean brown colour with what looked like a plunger for one arm and the other one just looked like a very long extended whisk. As for what was suppose to be the eye.. it was basically like the plunger and there were two white things on the top of it's head that looked like ears, though he higher doubts it.

Ratliff put his hand on it, touching the circles it had going down the front of it. He'd seen nothing like it in his life.. just by the way it was built, now that he was getting a closer look at it. He could tell.. it was not made by a human. Even if it was they had to be pretty talented.

All of a sudden it made a noise that came out of nowhere, which made Ratliff jump back. He looked at it as it's eye lifted up, the centre of it's eye was glowing blue, it's arms moved a little. Obviously it had no legs, but apparently it could still move because it moved closer to Ratliff a little. "What the.." Ratliff mumbled under his breath "is.. is someone controlling this.."

He went to go touch, but it started speaking "Who are you?" It's voice, it sounded very computerized.. yet it was a voice that would most definitely stick into your head. You couldn't forget it.

Honestly, Ratliff didn't know what to say "Um.. Ratliff?" He said, not sure what to say right now "um.. who's controlling this thing?" He asked, a little louder, looking around for someone.

"Are you human?"

Ratliff just stared at what was in front of him blankly, he didn't know how to react to what this thing had just said "No, I'm an alien clearly." He said sarcastically "of course I'm human! What kind of fucking retard asks that sort of question when your on earth?! Jesus.. Your not on mars or any other planet. I hate to break it to you, but your on planet earth.. where it is full of humans." he rolled his eyes. The jackass that's controlling this thing, sure is going to go away with a bust lip or black eye if he or she continues on with their stupidity.

"Exterminate!"

"'Scuse me?" Ratliff said rather rudely as he looked at it. Now what was it blabbing on about.

Ratliff never got the chance to ask as he had to duck when it fired something out of it's whisk arm, he let out a small yelp/scream as he landed to the floor. He looked behind him as he was on the floor, seeing a giant hole through the wall too the shop "Oh my god.." Ratliff said with fear, he jumped to his feet and looked at the giant robot in front of him "your not human.. Your not from here are you.. Oh jesus," He said, spinning around "I'm dreaming. I'm dreaming. Someone wake me up. JENNA!"

"Exterminate!"

That time, Ratliff never got chance to duck because at that point he was flung to the floor by someone. He landed on the floor, back first, with the person who'd saved him from whatever the thing was right there on top of him. He looked to see that blonde guy from earlier "You!" Ratliff said.

"No time for hello's just get up and run!" The blonde said, jumping from the floor before he dragged Ratliff up by his hands quickly. He didn't even bother to let go of Ratliff's hand once they were up on the floor and running down the alley way away from the robot thing. Ratliff didn't even both to let go himself, this guy seemed like he knew what he was doing.

As they ran, Ratliff kept on letting out small screams as it fired at them and kept on missing. Soon they quickly turned a corner and the blonde threw himself and Ratliff between two bins, the blonde covered Ratliff's mouth so they could stay quiet and whatever it was didn't see them.

Both of them sat where were and waited for it too pass them or disappear. He kept on popping his head out every now and then to check if it was still there, keeping his hand over Ratliff's mouth once it came out from the other alley he put his head between the bins again and waited quietly for it too pass. As it did, they quietly watched whilst Ratliff was trying his darn best not to let out some kind of scream and sound like a girl in front of this guy. For some reason, he didn't want to make a complete bitch of himself in front of him.

At last it was gone and the blonde took his hand from Ratliff's mouth "There, gone." He said, standing up in the middle of the alley.

Ratliff nodded and stood up "Okay, question time," Ratliff said, a little bit shaken, whilst the blonde looked at him "who the hell are you? You ran into me twice earlier, asking me if I could see you and then for a bit of paper which is really weird because I have never met a stranger like you before. And more importantly what the FUCK was that thing?!"

The blonde laughed "Okay, first of all.. I have no idea what you're talking about," He said "I haven't seen you up until now. I was somewhere else early.. no where near here I can promise you that right now."

"Then if it wasn't you then who was it?" Ratliff asked, taking a step closer to him. Almost about 5 cm away from him. He knew there was barely a gap in between them at the moment.

He shrugged "I don't know," He said "honest. I'm Ross by the way. Who are you?"

"I don't know, you knew my name earlier. So you tell me."

"That wasn't me! I don't remember any of that! Maybe I'm yet to do it.." Ross said, mumbling the last part. Ratliff just looked at Ross confused, something he'd been looking at people with a whole lot this morning. Ross, his boss, the thing that just almost killed him, and now this Ross again. Ross just let out a small laugh "Okay, I wish I could explain more but I can't. Okay, that thing that nearly just killed you is a Dalek. Obviously you know it's not human, because it's not it's from an outer space planet or ship. Or maybe both..I don't know there's a lot of them. Actually, not really.. they're all pretty much gone except for that one. That's the only one left and I was trying to kill it before it killed someone else. Just one zap from that and you can consider yourself dead."

"Oh, so alien's do exist.. great."

Ross laughed "Anyway, nice meeting you Ratliff. I'll see you later." He said, giving him a wink and then taking off down the alley way again.

"Wait!" Ratliff called going after him.

But when he turned around the corner down the alley, Ross was gone.

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**Yay! First chapter done! I realised it was getting a bit long, so I cut it short and I'll post tomorrow because its 11:10 pm in the UK. Originally this was suppose to be all one chapter, but I split it into two! :) I think it'd be better split into two because then it won't feel rushed as much. **

**anyway, hope you guys liked it! Like I said, trying to make this story my own as much as I want WITHOUT copying off Merlin & Doctor Who completely!**

**REVIEW IF YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the amazing response to this! :D I can tell you this is going to be a long ass-d story because I already have like 64 or 65 chapters planned out haha. Though, knowing me I'll get impatient for some chapters that I wanna write and cut it short... Like "Army of Ghosts" and "Doomsday" like.. you have no idea how much I wanan get to writing them two chapters so badly lol. Even though.. they are kinda tense/sad chapters but hey-ho. You can probably tell that by the name and as for you guys who watch Doctor Who.. your probably screaming at me like "Omg why are you doing them episodes?!" all I'm saying.. is.. sorry. haha cx**

**WHO'S SEEN THE NEW MUSIC VIDEO FOR R5 THOUGH. Omg it's amazing! Like, I nearly cried and screamed Rosslington when Ratliff thought he was following Ross and he wasn't. like.. Rosslington. Though, the whole video made me nearly cry haha. It's definitely my FAVOURITE music video by R5 by far cause you know, it involved all the members equally this time unlike Loud and Pass Me By did. Idk about you guys.**

**Any-who, I'm gonna shut the fuck up now and get onto Gust Account replies and then the story :)**

**Guest Account Replies:**

**Kevin: **Haha, I hope you do! :)

**SuperGirl33: **Aw thanks! & I suggest you go watch some old clips of Doctor Who from Series 2, 3 and 4 to have a recap cause knowing me I'm gonna end up doing the episodes which will make you cry and throw a brick at me lol. Like for instance.. Doomsday. I cried like a fucking baby at that episode. NO JOKE! & You haven't watched Merlin? Girl, I suggest you get to netflix and watch it. Now. GO. Jk you don't have too cause there's more Doctor Who episodes then Merlin in this story.

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**Chapter 2**

After the Ross guy had disappeared, Ratliff thought nothing more than to follow him. No matter how much he wanted too. Besides, he couldn't anyway he had disappeared faster than the speed of light, that and he had to get back to the store before his boss wondered where he was and started to thing he had done a runner on her.

He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was something really intriguing about that boy, Ross, he had just met. He means that in the least gay-way possible. But there just is. He seems.. different? Is different even the right word to describe him? How did he know about what that Dalek thing was? Those were the questions that were running through his mind. What if Ross wasn't even human, what if he was an alien.

'Oh my god, I've just been touched and saved by an alien...' Ratliff thought to himself. But then he shook his head, reminding himself he was just being stupid. Sure, the Dalek thing was real.. but Ross. Why couldn't he just leave Ross alone and get him out of his mind? It had been about 5 hours since he last saw him and he was currently sat downstairs in his living room waiting for Jenna to be ready so him, her, Emily and other friends could go out for a few hours. Or the night.

In fact, Ratliff might just make it the whole night after what happened today. Almost getting killed by an alien, that's not something what happens everyday.

As he was sat in peace without anybody bothering him, there was a knock on the door. Which only took about 5 seconds for Jenna to call down the stairs to let her brother know someone was there, in which Ratliff responded that he already knew and he wasn't an idiot nor deaf.

He opened the door and found Emily stood there, looking less than amused. It was unusual, because Emily was was always happy and amused. One of the reasons why he kinda fell in love with her and is dating her currently "Everything okay Em..?" Ratliff asked as he let her in.

They walked through into the living room before Emily spun round with her arms folded, giving Ratliff the biggest death glare she could. It was starting to make Ratliff really uncomfortable "I um.. wanna enlighten me on what's wrong..?" Ratliff asked.

"I saw you today down the alleyway behind where you work, running... with a boy. Holding his hand."

Ratliff laughed, he was beginning to think it was something serious for a moment "Oh that," He said "yeah.. I don't know him. It's kinda hard to explain why he was holding my hand and dragging me along with him, I don't think you'd believe me anyway." He said as he plopped down onto the sofa.

"Oh I know, I was just kidding being angry," Emily replied falling onto the sofa next to him. She paused for a moment, thinking about why she wouldn't believe him "Not that I'm bothered.. but why would you think I won't believe you?"

"You just wouldn't, trust me. I hardly believe it happened myself. At first I thought it was some practical joke but.. apparently not."

Emily cocked her head looking at Ratliff, something inside her told that Ratliff was lying to her about something.. or keeping something from her. Either that, or she was being paranoid. He'd been off a lot lately, not his usual self. But instead of asking him about it, she just decided to leave it and wait on the sofa for Jenna to finish getting ready and talked whilst she was finishing getting ready.

They never got out till about 7, from then they started making their way through the town and nightclubs whilst Ratliff just hung behind by himself. Basically he was left out from everyone, even his own girlfriend. Everyone was having a whale of a time and there was just Ratliff... looking like he didn't even belong in the group with them. At one point he even considered just wondering off because he was almost 100% sure that they wouldn't notice.

But alas, they came to a nightclub. While everyone was out on the dance floor or the bar having a good time, Ratliff was just sat at the table by himself minding the drinks and drinking his own. He just looked around at everyone, Emily with her friends, Jenna with hers and what not. He even took a small glimpse at some of the other groups of people who were out there.

Just watching the night go by.

Ratliff picked up his drink from the table and started to take another sip of the drink, when out of the corner of his eyes he saw a blonde blob in the corner by himself. He lowered his drink and looked over to see Ross over by himself in the corner, before it looked like he was looking at Ratliff for a moment. Ratliff looked over to Jenna, Emily and their friends before he got up discretely off his chair with his drunk and made his way over to Ross.

He stood in front of the table as Ross was looking off somewhere else in the nightclub "You look like your having fun." Ratliff said. That immediately got his attention, he looked at Ratliff and smiled a little. "Mind if I join you? I'm kinda on my own too."

"Sure." Ross said, budging up a little as Ratliff got in the booth next to him.

Seen as though Ratliff's glass was almost empty, he started throwing it gently and slowly from side to side as he was finding it difficult to make conversation with Ross. He sighed "You know, we never got the chance to talk earlier in the back alleyway," Ratliff said as he looked to Ross "you kinda.. left in a hurry after that 'Dalek' attacked me almost."

"I had to,I needed to find something to destroy it with. Because once that's gone there'll be no more left in the universe. We'll all be Dalek free."

"And have you?"

"I have someone on the job already." Ross said, grinning at Ratliff a little bit. Almost in a teasing way as well.

Not even noticing that Ratliff's girlfriend, Emily, was watching them from the other side of the dance floor.

"Who?"

"ROSS!"

Ross and Ratliff turned their heads to find another blonde boy at the end of the table "I got it." He said.

"You did!" Ross said, brightly and happy "oh my god, thank you so much Riker!" Ross said, getting up from his seat and hugging him.

Ratliff looked at them both confused "Riker? What did he get I'm confused.. who are you two?" Ratliff asked.

Ross and Riker looked at each other before looking down at Ratliff "Ross and Riker," Ross said "as you already know," he looked back at Riker "c'mon, let's get this show on the road before it's too late."

"Wait!" Ratliff called as Riker and Ross just took off through the nightclub and through the back door.

Ratliff sighed, he was so frustrated. Why couldn't Ross just stay in one place and explain this to him instead of leaving him to wonder? Then more friends show up. Well no more, this time Ratliff was going after him and he was going to get answers. He immediately got from where he was and ran where Ross had just gone too and out the door, following exactly where they had just gone. Not even caring if Jenna, Emily and the others saw him.

Well, Emily saw him go after Ross and the other blonde. Man was she furious just a tad.

Ratliff burst through the back door into a random alley way, he looked from left to right for Ross and the new blonde, Riker. They were nowhere in plain sight. He even turned his head left and right a couple more times just to make sure they weren't there any more.

"Hmm.." Ratliff turned around to go walk back into the nightclub when he heard something down the alley way. He immediately shot back round to see what and where it was coming from, and by the looks of it, it was where the dark part of the alley way.

Ratliff sighed "It's always the dark area.." he muttered to himself.

Thinking that it could be something dangerous, Ratliff looked around for something to protect himself with. He couldn't exactly protect himself with his fists, bins and full bin bags along with the ones that were broken. That's when something caught his eye by the bin, he slowly walked over to it and pulled it from between the bins were.

A gun?

Least it looked like a gun. Ratliff pulled it out, not realising how big and heavy it was until he tried to pick it up "Jesus christ.." it looked like it could do some damage. So instead of leaving it where it was, he decided to take it with him. Even though he was struggling majorly with it, but he managed it just well enough.

That's when he heard footsteps coming from the darkness "RIKER WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Ross.

Ratliff sighed, he'd only just left with Riker. How could he of not known where he was? Ross came bolting out from the shadows as fast as he could looking behind him, but that was a mistake as he got so far out of the dark he fell over harshly onto his back and turned around as something with a blue light started coming out from the dark.

The Dalek.

Ratliff began to fear for his own life again as well as Ross's, which he didn't know why. He'd only known Ross for all of.. half a day and already he was worrying about his life. Awesome.

Ross began to crawl backwards on the floor as the Dalek came towards him getting ready to shoot at him, normally Ross would make some random comments to try make it stop it from killing him but this time he was fresh out. He was just waiting for Riker to come with the stupid gun that'd kill it, but apparently Riker got distracted by the looks of it. So now here he was.. facing death.

Ross brought his arm up a little, as if trying to block the shot, as the Dalek lifted it's arm ready to fire it at him. At that moment he waited for it to shoot him dead when he heard an explosion and felt a bright light, he looked in front of him to see the top of the Dalek had been taken out and was now dead.

Ross smiled and jumped up from the floor, ready to turn around and thank Riker for saving his ass but he got the shock of his life when he saw Ratliff stood there with the gun instead of Riker. "I panicked.." Ratliff said "I didn't know that would happen.. but.. I guess that's good.. right?"

Ross nodded "Oh yes! Thank you!" Ross almost shouted from the top of his lungs, going over to Ratliff and bringing him in for a hug where he lifted him and span him around, causing Ratliff to drop the gun. Ratliff smiled a little as Ross hugged him and span him, for the first time in his life he felt like he had done something right which was a change cause normally he's just a failure.

Eventually, after about 10 seconds, Ross stopped spinning Ratliff and put him back on the floor. From the dizziness, they were a little off balance. Well Ratliff was, because he ended up going backwards a little bit but he didn't know if it was from the dizziness or part of the alcohol he had been consuming. Ross quickly grabbed him before he fell and pulled him, not realising it was close "Whoa.. don't fall." Ross said with a little bit of laughter.

"Please, Ellington Lee Ratliff does not fall," Ratliff said as he looked up to Ross after being grabbed by him "he um.. just.. erm.."

"Sorry to disturb the love affair here..."

Ross let go of Ratliff, letting them both turn around where they saw Riker stood there. He picked up the gun and walked towards him "But, I see you got rid of the Dalek then?" Riker asked.

Ross nodded "Thanks to Ratliff," Ross said pointing to him "he panicked, picked up the gun and shot it. Which means.. no more Dalek's. They're completely wiped out now."

"Thank god," Riker said with relief as he began to walk by them going to the other side by Ratliff "I felt like I was gonna kill myself if I head one more 'exterminate, exterminate, exterminate'." Riker said, imitating with the arms and the voice, making Ross laugh a little.

Ratliff looked between Ross and Riker a little "I'm sorry.. yeah, hi. I have no idea who you two are.. but clearly.. you are not from here. Or earth for that matter."

"Actually," Riker said putting his arm up "I am human. I am from Earth. I'm no alien."

"Oh what, so he is?" Ratliff laughed, pointing to Ross. Thinking it was a joke, but by the way Riker was looking at him he could tell it wasn't a joke. His eyes widened, he looked at Ross "Oh my god. Really? How many other people are aliens that I don't know about? Don't tell me you have secret tentacles."

"No, ew," Ross said "to be honest... the only thing alien about me is.. that, I have two hearts.. and... I can't die. Actually, I can die, just for the fact I live longer. Way too longer if I'm honest." He said. Adding a frown to the last part.

"What's so bad about living for forever dude? I'd love it!"

Ross shook his head "No you wouldn't," he said "the amount of people who get close to you and become important to you.. then one day they die. Do you know how many times I've had to go through that?" he asked, not realising how harsh it was starting to come out "sorry.." he said, finally realising.

"It's okay," Ratliff said, letting out a sigh. He looked at Riker, then back at Ross "just how many of these 'friends' have you had?"

"Too many,"

"Ever been in love with any of them?"

"Excuse me?"

"It's a simple question," Ratliff said with his arms folded "or don't you know anything about love."

"Of course I know what love is, idiot," Ross said. He looked Ratliff up and down, he didn't know why. But it was more of an 'your-an-idiot' kind of looking up and down "no, I haven't been in love with any of them. Maybe.. actually.. there was one. But, I didn't get chance to fall in love with her properly."

"Why?"

"She died," Ross said straight away and plain simply like ripping off a bandage "it was a blessing and a curse that she died. I don't think I could bare to of even be in love with her knowing one day she was going to die and leave me all by myself. So in a way.. it's kind of good she did die. But not at the same time. Very bad she died. 99.9 percent bad she died. 0.1 percent good she died." Ross stopped as he began to ramble, other wise he would probably say something he would regret.

Riker looked at Ross and then at Ratliff "Did he also mention he can travel back and forth in time?"

"What?!" Ratliff asked, shooting his head from Riker to Ross.

Ross rolled his eyes "Oh yeah, wow. So what. It's nice to get away from the same thing all the time."

"I don't believe you.."

"Want me to prove it?"

"Go for it."

"Follow me." Ross said, turning around and walking as Riker and Ratliff followed closely behind.

As they walked to wherever Ross was taking them, Ratliff talked to Riker and asked him questions about Ross like if he could really go back and forth in time. Riker told him nothing, he just told Ratliff to wait and see to experience himself. Ratliff let Riker tell him what it was live to be with Ross, as friends of course. They weren't dating or brothers or anything. Just friends and had been for a few years now apparently.

Still, Ratliff was finding it hard to believe about the stories of where they had been and done. Unbelievable.

They turned a corner where there was nothing but a blue box in the corner that looked like it could fit about 2 and a half people inside of it. Ratliff looked at Riker and Ross "What are we suppose to be looking at?" Ratliff asked.

"Watch." Ross said before he made his way over to the blue box and went inside of it. Leaving Riker and Ratliff stood on there own waiting. Before they knew it, the box began to make a noise - a strange noise, almost like a wheezing sound - and soon began to fade.

Then it was gone.

"No way!" Ratliff said, loudly as he stepped forward a little. He looked left and right as Riker just laughed at him "No.. this has to be some kind of Derren Brown shit.. there's no way-" the wheezing sound came back, Ratliff stood back beside Riker as the wind blew in his face and the box returned.

They waited as Ross came out of it and walked over to Ratliff "Here." He said, handing him a piece of paper.

Ratliff took the paper from Ross and opened the paper which read 'Bad Wolf' on it. He gasped "You got that from me this morning!" Ratliff said, looking back up at Ross "oh my god.. you can time travel!"

Ross laughed, he looked away from Ratliff and at Riker who looked like he was going to collapse with worry. "Bad wolf?" Riker mouthed to Ross, he just nodded. Ross looked back at Ratliff "What were you doing with Bad Wolf written on a piece of paper?" Ross asked.

Ratliff shrugged "I don't know," Ratliff said rolling the paper into a ball and throwing it away, he didn't need it anymore "me and my friends were coming with random things and.. that just came to my mind. It was random. Why? Does it mean something.."

"Kinda," Ross said "to me.. it means the end of the world slash universe."

Ratliff let out a small laugh "Okay, so if the world's coming to an end I just say bad wolf?"

"Pretty much."

"Oh.." Ratliff said, wiping the smile and laugh off his face.

Ross tapped Riker on the arm "C'mon, we better get going," He said "we got places to go and people to meet."

Riker shook his head "No," Riker said, with uncertainty. Ross gave him a puzzled look and a kind of hurt look too. "Look, it's got nothing to do with you I promise.. it's just.. I've had enough of the time travel. It's time to let someone else have a go. Let me start and have a life here."

"Oh I see.."

"I know you don't like being alone, cause it's all you do when you don't have nobody when your not getting yourself into trouble," Riker added a small laugh to the end of the sentence "seriously. I think it's about time you found someone else."

Ross let out a small laugh "C'mon Riker, this sounds like a break up." He said, making them both laugh. Ross sighed "No, I understand. I'll see you later." He then gave Riker a quick hug.

He doesn't know how long he'd been travelling with Riker, maybe 3 year? Ross has never made it past 3 years of being with a friend travelling because something always ends up happening to them. They either die, lose their memory, decide to leave off their own accord or get trapped somewhere, like a parallel world.

Though, Ross has never had a friend he's travelled with get trapped in a parallel world. He would hate that to happen to one of his friends.. he's never seen it happen but he's heard stories about how once your in the parallel world.. your their for life. No way out. There's no way Ross is stupid enough to let that happen, the only way he'd let it happen is if he was really off guard, wasn't there or was unable to save the person from it.

Ross looked over to Ratliff after that thought and smiled at him slightly before he pulled away from Riker in the hug "Have a good life." Ross said "try not to get yourself killed."

"You too Ross," Riker said,turning around to walk away when he stopped. He turned around and put his hand on Ratliff's shoulder's "you should take Ratliff with you."

Ross looked at Riker as if he was mad, Ratliff did too a little bit but not entirely. "Are you kidding? I've only just met him.." Ross said.

Riker laughed "So? You'd only just met me and yet you took me with you." he said, making Ross roll his eyes. "I'm sure Ratliff won't mind, will you?"

"I'm sure Ratliff doesn't want to come with me.."

"Are you kidding?" Ratliff asked, looking at him "going through time and space, meeting and killing alien's. It sounds like your trapped in some kind of video game. Of course I'd come with you!"

"There we go!" Riker said smiling "you have a friend. Now, I'm gonna go.. I hope I see you again some day Ross." Riker said smiling, turning around and walking away, letting his smile fade as he walked and disappeared round the corner.

Ross sighed as Riker disappeared, he then looked at Ratliff "Sure you want to come with me?" Ross asked.

"Of course."

"Great!" Ross smiled, going to turn around but he was stopped by Ratliff's voice.

"But.. I can't," Ratliff said, making Ross turn around and look at him confused "see.. I have a little sister, Jenna, she's 16. She needs someone there to look out for her and she only has me. That.. and I have a girlfriend. If I go missing all of a sudden, they'll know something's up."

"You don't have to come for long.." Ross said as he walked over and leant against the blue box.

Ratliff looked at the box and then at Ross before sighing "Eh, I suppose nobody will notice if I'm gone for a few days."

Ross laughed, opening the door letting Ratliff walk in soon followed behind him. Man this was going to be some kind of adventure.

Not knowing what on earth laid ahead for the both of them.

**Next: **The Fires Of Idirsholas _(Merlin)_

**Then: **The Girl In The Fire Place _(Doctor Who)_

**Later: **The Darkest Hour _(Merlin)_

**After: **The Crystal Cave _(Merlin)_

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**Yeah, I feel like I kind of rushed Riker's in and out part.. but I can promise you he WILL be back later on! Like.. not soon..around Chapters 30 - 40.. omg I'm sorry for making you wait that long but Rocky, Laura and Rydel aren't coming into it for maybe that long either, but I'm gonna shut up because I'm gonna end up spoiling it all for you. **

**Mouth closed.**

**6 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE.**


	3. The Fires Of Idirsholas: Morgana

**Thanks for the 7 reviews! :) Sorry I took so long updating I was trying to find the strength to update something and get into the spirit of writing but school kinda takes it out of you. **

**Anyway, to those that figured out who Ratliff's suppose to be, points to you.. same to the people who I had to tell lol I'm sorry for what I'm about to put you all through with Ross and Ratliff :)**

**Guest Account Replies:**

**SuperGirl33: **I re-counted the chapters and he's actually coming back into it a lot sooner haha so around chapters 20 - 30

**isaOMG: **Thanks, could you maybe try to comment more on the chapter though?

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**_The Fires Of Idirsholas: Part 1_  
**

He'd been in the tardis for about an hour now and already it didn't seem like they were getting very far, when he said they were going to go somewhere for a little while he honestly thought they would be there by now. Ratliff didn't say anything to him, he was too busy looking around. He still couldn't get over the fact that it was way bigger on the inside than the outside, he almost had about a thousand heart attacks, but he didn't show it. Even though he's sure Ross must be pretty use to it by now, people being shocked by this whole alien, time travel thing.

Though, through Ratliff's eyes.. he doesn't see him as an alien, he's just another human being who has the ability to go where the hell he likes through time and space. So technically, Ratliff's just going to class him as a human. He knows it's weird to think that given he's just met him and he has a girlfriend. A girlfriend that will probably kill him for going missing for days on end.

Oops?

Hey, it's about time something different happened to him instead of him repeating the same days over and over again. Least now things have shaken up a little.

"Hold on!" Ross called, whilst Ratliff was sat on the chair that was there.

Ratliff turned his head to Ross, as he hadn't heard him, but before he could say anything everything shook and Ratliff came flying off his seat smack bang onto the floor. All he could hear was Ross laughing after the tardis was done whatever it was doing.

Ross walked round from where he was, sticking out his hands to help Ratliff up "C'mon," Ross said "we're somewhere."

Ratliff grabbed Ross's hands and was pulled to the floor "What do you mean 'somewhere'?" He asked, following him over to the door of the tardis "I thought you knew where we were going. Cause if you don't we're both screwed, because technically I'm still consumed with alcohol."

Ross smiled at Ratliff flinging the door open and stepping out of it, letting Ratliff shut it when they were out of it. Ratliff looked around to where they were, all he was seeing were bars of what appeared to be a dungeon. He looked at Ross "We went to jail?" Ratliff asked "Ross, if I wanted to go visit a jail cell I'd of robbed a bank."

"It's not a jail, it's a dungeon. We're in a castle from somewhere like the 1600's, now come on." Ross said, walking off. Ratliff sighed heavily following him as he was guided down between the cells.

As they walked down the hallway in the cells to get out and have a look around, they took occasional glances at them all as they passed by the prisoners who were kept captive for unknown reasons to them ready to be executed. Luckily they hadn't landed anywhere near their sight so they couldn't ask questions, because the last thing they need is changing a moment in time.

That's if they have landed in a point of time where it's history. Though, even it's the 1600's or something like that (as Ross put it before) they probably have. Around that time there was always historical things.

They were almost out of the dungeons when someone stuck their arm out from the cell they were in and grabbed Ratliff's arm, pulling him close to the cell. Ross continued on walking until he heard Ratliff let out a gasp/scream from behind him, he turned around to find someone holding onto his arm close to the cell not letting go. Ross immediately ran over to Ratliff's rescue.

Ratliff would of pulled his arm away, but he saw it was only a small fragile old lady. He threw her a sympathetic look as it looked like she wanted to tell him something, before she got the chance to say anything to him Ross had came over and put his hand on Ratliff's arm to gently drag him away. That's when the old lady let go of his arm, letting him leave with Ross.

As they walked away from the cell, Ratliff kept on taking occasional glances back to that cell, he looked away when they turned the corner and were out of the cells, Ross let go of his arm.

They walked out from underneath the cells and into the middle of the city they were in, which was outside the entrance to the castle. Both of them turned their heads looking at everything as it went by them as well as the people before looking at each other. "Have any idea where we are yet?" Ratliff asked.

Ross shook his head "Nope," he turned his head to Ratliff "maybe we should ask."

"Then we'll look like idiots."

Ross just shrugged as he grabbed the next person passing him "Hey, by any chance could you tell me where we are?" Ross asked, causing the person to look at Ross as if he had some sort of mental disease "see.. we're lost. Me and my.. erm.." Ross's brain froze as he was trying to think of the word to describe who Ratliff was too him.

"Boyfriend?" The person questioned.

"Ew no!" Ratliff said disgusted "isn't that sort of thing banned around here?"

"Not really."

"No, I'm.. he's my friend," Ross said, beginning to stumble and stutter for words "seriously. If I was going to have a boyfriend, I'd pick someone better than him."

"Ouch," Ratliff faked the hurt, putting his hand to his heart making Ross roll his eyes and back at the women.

"Camelot."

Ross cocked his head "What?"

"Your in Camelot, hope that helps you." She smiled before walking away.

Ratliff walked over and stood in front of Ross, looking at him with disbelief "No way dude.. I thought Camelot was a myth." he literally couldn't believe he was standing in the heart of Camelot.

Ross looked at Ratliff with disbelief as well, turning it into a smile "Told ya we could go anywhere you wanted or could think of! Now come on, let's go explore!" Ross said, grabbing Ratliff by the hand and dragging him along with him. Ratliff just let out a small laugh/smile as he was dragged along.

Not knowing that from one of the royal chambers above in the castle they were being watched by someone. Mainly Ratliff.

Jenna was awakened to knocking on the front door, she looked over to her alarm clock on her bedside table which read 11:37 am. She sighed and rolled back over "Ratliff! The door." She called, sleepily. The knocking continued "RATLIFF!" still nothing.

She didn't even hear him move or anything in his room, she sighed and got up from her bed not so happily. "Hold on!" Jenna called in a harsh tone as she came running down the stairs like a herd of elephants. She grabbed the keys off the table as she went over to the door and flung the door open, seeing it was Emily "Oh hey Emily." She said, rubbing her eyes.

"Hey," Emily smiled "is Ell awake?"

"No," Jenna said "but I'll gladly go wake him up for you." She turned around and made her way up the stairs loudly. Emily laughed entering the house behind her and shutting the door, waiting in the hallway.

Jenna ran up to Ratliff's bedroom door and swung it open making it crash off the wall loudly "Ratliff, Emily's here." She said, going into the bedroom as she saw Ratliff wasn't laid in his bed sleeping "but.. your not." She took the door off the wall and saw he wasn't there either.

His clothes from last night weren't on the floor either and his bed hadn't been slept in. She turned around and slowly made her way down the stairs "Emily," Jenna said "he's not there. His bed hasn't been slept in and his clothes aren't on the floor from last night."

Emily cocked her head "Why?"

"I don't know," Jenna said "it might have something to do with him disappearing last night.. you know when we were on the dance floor and he'd just gone missing?"

Emily thought back to last night after they had left the dance floor to go back to the table to find Ratliff, remembering he wasn't there. She remembered that. Then like a flash of lightening she remembered looking over to Ratliff at another table with that blonde boy she'd seen him running down the alleyway with yesterday holding his hand.. then after he followed him out the back. Her confused expression turned to angry "Oh, I'm gonna kill him.." Emily furiously said, not realising it.

"What is it?" Jenna asked "do you know where he is?"

"Oh yeah.."

"Where?"

"Not with me, put it that way!" Emily snapped, turning around and leaving the house slamming the door making Jenna jump.

Jenna went to run out of the door after Emily, but realised she wasn't dressed so she turned around and ran up to her room and get dressed to go after her so she could find where her idiot brother was.

It'd been at least half a day in Camelot and already Ross and Ratliff had, had their fun, had a laughed, almost cried (with laughter of course) and well.. hurt themselves just a tad. They were having a blast and it was only their first adventure together, even though they wouldn't exactly an adventure, but with the way things were going with Ross for Ratliff he was seriously considering staying with him forever, it was THAT fun.

Ross really wasn't going to lie, he'd had plenty of friends in the past that had came with him - some longer than others - and he knows it had only been half a day (not even that) but he was really growing on Ratliff and liking him. Not in THAT way of course, although.. Ross couldn't see why not. Maybe if Ratliff was a girl then maybe he could just like him in that way, not while he was a boy though. Not that there's anything wrong with that, he's just never liked a boy in that way before. Of course, if he did like a boy in that way he would go to the one person who knows everything about being a gay, well bi-sexual.

Riker.

You would of thought Ross found it awkward travelling with Riker seen as though he was basically attracted to both men and women, but he wasn't. Riker was just like an older brother to him, something Ross had never had. He's never had a family growing up so Riker was the closest thing he had to a family, that's why he was so sad about Riker leaving him after everything they'd been through together. It wasn't sad or tragic what they had been through, it was more fun.

God, he'd been through more tragic things with Ratliff more than Riker and he hadn't been with Ratliff long. Though Ross was going to try his best to make sure he and Ratliff didn't go through anything tragic together, he's been through tragic stuff before and he doesn't feel like going through it again. Ever.

Right now they were making their way back to the tardis so they could either go somewhere else or take Ratliff home, in all honesty Ross didn't want Ratliff to go home. Not yet anyway.

They made it to the main square outside of the castle ready to go down to the cells back to the tardis. They couldn't believe they'd been in Camelot and they hadn't even ran into any of the so called Arthurian legend characters, Merlin, Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Morgana etc. Oh well, maybe they would on the way back to the tardis.

As they walked through the main square, a girl with a red cloak walked through it. She looked ahead of her where she saw Ross and Ratliff coming towards her where she purposely bumped into Ratliff. "Oo," Ratliff caught her by the arms as he thought she was going to fall to the ground "be careful."

The girl looked up to Ratliff, she had sparkling green eyes and raven black hair, almost wavy but not. He smiled down at her, Ross gave him a strange look as Ratliff smiled at the girl with some kind of affection. From what he's learned from Ratliff, he wouldn't do that as he has a girlfriend. "I'm erm.. I'm Ratliff." He stumbled for words, making Ross roll his eyes.

The girl smiled "I'm Morgana."

Ratliff's eyes widened "Lady Morgana?" He asked, she nodded "Oh my god." he smiled a little bit more.

At that point Ross kept his eyes fixed on Morgana telling that there was something wrong with her, a Lady of royalty is never out on the streets of where she is. Never. Unless she's with her servant or King. Something was really wrong.

Though, what Ross never knew was that it wasn't really Morgana Pendragon standing right there. Yes, it was her body but it was possessed with an evil spirit looking to destroy someone. That being the King and Arthur, who else would you come to Camelot for and destroy. And who better to possess than the Lady Morgana herself. But the spirit inside was growing tired of Morgana's body as it didn't quite suit her fancy so she was just waiting for someone else to come along, that was when she saw Ratliff outside of the window.

Morgana looked up to Ratliff and stroked his cheek with her hand "You have a very soft face.. I like it." She smiled, making Ratliff blush. Ross just scoffed, rolling his eyes yet again.

What a pathetic way to flirt. She really does get straight to the point she thought Ratliff was attractive, wasn't she? He let out a heavy sigh, folding his arms and tapping his foot on the floor waiting for the flirting to be over. It was like Ratliff was under some sort of spell.

"Ratliff, we need to go. _Now_." Ross quickly said, realising.

Ratliff just waved off Ross by floating his hand "Yeah, yeah, hold on.." Ratliff said not taking his eyes away from Morgana.

Morgana put her other hand on Ratliff's face "Do you mind if I do something?" She asked. Ratliff just shook her head "Good." She grinned. Bringing Ratliff's face down so her lips met his, keeping on kissing him making sure the spirit left her body and into Ratliff. Because that was the only way the spirit could get out of you, by kissing someone. Unless you had a special jar of some sort and sucked the spirit into that, though of course you needed to be the person to have the spirit in you to do it.

The spirit found it's way out of Morgana as she kissed Ratliff and passed into him, once it was out of Morgana she pulled out of the kiss and just collapsed so Ratliff quickly caught her before she fell to the floor. Ross laughed "Oh my god, were you that bad of a kisser?" Ross teased, even though he had witnessed what had happened. Now he had to save Ratliff before it was too late for him.

Ratliff looked up to Ross and glared "Shut up," Ratliff snapped at him "we need to get her inside or something." Ratliff stood up from the floor with Morgana, holding her bridal style getting ready to take her into the castle.

"What are you doing? We need to leave."

Ratliff shrugged "Wouldn't hurt staying a bit longer, would it?" Ratliff said. He turned in the direction of the castle with a grin on his face as he walked away from Ross.

Ross shook his head as he followed Ratliff.

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**Shorter than the last few, but I know that future chapters are going to be way longer so look forward to that (y)**

**6 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**


	4. The Fires Of Idirsholas: Evil Spirit

**Right, okay, reviews great.**

**This is a little bit rushed at the end because I got bored like half way through cx Sorry! **

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_**The Fires Of Idirsholas: Part 2**_

Even though he didn't really want to, Ross followed Ratliff into the castle. He couldn't exactly go back to the tardis and leave Ratliff behind, especially when he's got some spirit inside of him. How he was going to get it out of him, he had no idea. But given that the spirit got into him by Morgana kissing him, something tells Ross that it has something to do with some kind of skin contact.

And if the only way getting the spirit out of Ratliff is by kissing him, then well.. Ratliff's fucked. There's no way Ross is kissing him.

He tried his best to keep up with Ratliff, letting out big sighs as he followed him as he was doing his best not to lose him. You'd thought because he was carrying someone he'd be slow, apparently not. Not that it is actually Ratliff there in front of him, but you know.

Ross got up the flight of stairs and stopped "Ratliff!" Ross called loudly, making Ratliff stop and turn around with Morgana in his arms "you.. you go take Morgana to where she needs to be. I'll meet you there I need to get something from the tardis."

Ratliff gave Ross a puzzled look but just nodded before he turned around and made his way to Morgana's room. Ross smiled, looks like he was going to be able to pull of this plan without letting the spirit know he was doing it. He ran down the stairs as fast as he could without knocking into any of the passing servants and knights.

He got to the dungeons and lent against the wall gasping for breath, not realising how far it was from where he was just then to the dungeons. Ross got up from the wall and took a deep breath and continued on walking down between the cells, seeing the old lady from earlier who had grabbed Ratliff by the arm. He turned the corner seeing the tardis was still there, he sighed with relief.

You wouldn't believe how many times before when he was with Riker the tardis had gone missing or someone had took it. Trust, it was a nightmare to get it back. Especially when it's guarded by about a hundred Dalek's with the power to zap you dead with their arm they have which looks like a whisk. Some how Ross has managed to avoid being hit by one of them, but now he doesn't have to because thanks to Ratliff they're completely gone. No more Dalek's left roaming the earth or galaxy for that matter.

He jumped over the bars in the tardis where it led down to somewhere, he found a box and pulled it down onto his lap and looked for it. There was all sorts down here, things that would probably scare the shit out of Ratliff if he ever found it. Sometimes it even scares himself. He looked through the box until he came across what he was looking for.

A jar.

He put the box up back onto the shelf and ran out of the tardis, locking it behind him and putting his key into his pocket. Now his next mission was to find where Ratliff had ran off too, but he would of done that quicker if he hadn't of tripped over his own foot and went flying causing the jar to roll away from him. Ross sighed, getting up from the floor where the jar had landed outside of someone's cell. He picked it up to see the old lady stood there looking at him, he jumped a little.

"Sorry.." Ross said, looking down.

The old lady smiled "It's okay," she let her smile begin to slowly fade "you have a nice handsome friend with you, do you not."

Ross laughed "Oh no, I see where this is going, I got this a lot with my other friend Riker because he was gay, well.. bi-sexual," Ross stopped "Not that there's anything wrong with them and Ratliff's definitely not gay or bi..he's straight. In fact he has a girlfriend," Ross stopped once more, looking away from the cell and back at the old lady "why am I telling you all this?" He asked.

"Moment of panic maybe?"

Ross shrugged, not aware that his hand was on part of the cell and the women put her hand on top of it which caused him to jump and scare the hell out of him. He looked down to the old lady, she was looking up at him "You know.. you're putting him in a lot of danger."

Ross shook his head "Not.. not really... why are you telling me this? I know when I'm putting someone in danger, and I'm not doing that to him." He pulled his hand from the cell door.

"Uther arrests people for who they are or for treason, in my case it's for who I am," She said "I'm a seer. I can basically see anything I want too just by the touch of something." She smiled, hinting down to Ross's hand which she had just touched.

He gave the women an untrustworthy look, he's been scared like this before. Just this time he wasn't going to let it scare him or let him worry "I don't care, you should of been more careful and trusted better people," Ross said "now.. If you excuse me... I have to get back to Ratliff."

He began to walk away when the women spoke, causing him to stop in his footsteps. "Don't say I didn't try to warn you if it ends in heartache." She said, going to the back of her cell.

Ross turned around at her and just continued on walking to get back to Ratliff before the spirit inside of him did something stupid.

He did his best to find out where they were last, with the help of some passing servants he managed to find it. He turned his head left and right, seeing he was on the corridor they had left each other on. Seeing that one end of the hallway was more glamorous than the other he figured that was where the royal chambers were, AKA Morgana's. He took off like a rocket to get to her room.

Ross flew round the corner where he ended up crashing into someone, knocking him and that person to the floor. He sat up on the floor looking at the raven haired boy he had just knocked over. The boy looked young, he looked about 19 or 20. Or about Ratliff's age. He'd say his own age, but that's not possible. Ross only looks the same age as Ratliff.. he's not actually 18.

Ross got up from the floor "I'm so sorry," Ross said to the boy helping him up.

"It's okay." The boy said smiling a little "I'm use to being pushed around. After all.. I am the servant to a prat."

Ross nodded "Okay, don't suppose you could tell me where Morgana's chambers are?" Ross asked.

"Why?"

Ross made sure nobody was coming down the hallway or watching them, surely he could trust a servant. Besides, wasn't like any royalty was going to believe him were they? "Okay, she came out into the court yard today and kissed my friend, Ratliff. She had a spirit inside of her and she passed it on into him and passed out. So now he's roaming around the castle with that spirit in him and I need to get it out of him before it's too late."

"I know, I was trying to figure out a way to get it out of her without having to.. kiss her. That's the only way you can get it out of someone unfortunately."

Damn it. Ross thought to himself. "Great, I'm Ross by the way." Ross said, shaking the boys hand.

"Merlin."

"No way!" Ross smiled. He's time travelled a lot, but sometimes with the people he meets.. it just completely blows his mind. Like now, he'd met Morgana briefly and now he'd just met the man/boy himself Merlin. How long was it until he met Arthur, Gwen etc? He coughed seeing he saw the look Merlin was giving him "Anyway, Morgana's chambers."

Merlin nodded, turning around to guide Ross there.

"Ratliff" laid Morgana down on her bed, surprisingly he had gotten past everyone who he passed carrying Morgana to her room without being stopped. It was great. He thought he wasn't going to be able to manage it. But now that Morgana was safe and sound back in her room, it was time to do what the spirit had came here to do.

"Ratliff" turned around to go walk towards the door and leave, but that was stopped when a harsh pain went through his head and everything went black.

"I said stall him, not knock him out!" Ross raised his voice, coming out from behind the open door and shutting it from where Merlin had just whacked something over his head and sent him to the floor.

"Ever heard of 'thank you'?" Merlin asked, putting what he had picked up to knock out Ratliff down on Morgana's dressing table.

Ross knelt down on the floor beside Ratliff looking down at him, he looked so peaceful.. he didn't want to disturb him. He smiled slightly.

Oh well, he will go and get himself possessed by an evil spirit won't he? Hasn't he learnt nothing from the Arthurian legend? Do. Not. Trust. Morgana. Pendragon. Under. Any. Circumstances. Ross could see as clear as day the adventure he and Ratliff were embarking on was going to be a fun one.

He looked up at Merlin, giving him the jar and taking off the lid "Okay," Ross started "I'm going to get this spirit out of Ratliff, and when I do make sure that jar is next to my mouth. That way I can spit the spirit into that jar and it'll suck right out of me. Though, it'll only be half of the spirit. The rest of it will be stuck inside of him."

"Will you be able to get it out of him?" Merlin asked, opening the top of the jar.

Ross nodded "Oh yeah, later," Ross looked down at Ratliff and shook him gently "Ratliff... wake up." he shook him a few times before his eyes started to move under his eye lids.

Merlin thought about something for a moment.. if Ross was going to get the spirit out of Ratliff and the only way he could do that was by kissing him and Ross was going to put the spirit into the jar, couldn't Ross of just put the jar to Ratliff's mouth and sucked it out of him like that? Merlin smirked, deciding to keep that to himself. This was going to be funny.

Ross watched as "Ratliff" woke up, that's when he immediately jumped up from the floor. "What are you doing?" "Ratliff" asked.

Ross slowly stood up "Nothing," Ross said raising his hands in defence "I'm.. I'm trying to help you.."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Ross nodded, lowering his hands "I can help you.. whatever you want doing.."

Merlin watched between both Ross and Ratliff hoping himself this plan was going to work soon, he really didn't fancy having to explain to Morgana why he was in her room with two strangers and why they were kissing. He was just hoping they would get on with it fast.

"Ratliff" looked at Ross uncertainly "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Because I am," Ross said "I promise I am," he lied "j-just... come here.. please? You can trust me, Ratliff.. or spirit. Which ever you wanna be called."

With that, "Ratliff" slowly began to walk towards Ross until he was about a centimetre away from Ross. Ross smiled at "Ratliff" nervously, he couldn't believe he was about to do this. "Just stay still, close your eyes." Ross said. "Ratliff" nodded and obliged shutting his eyes.

Merlin watched waiting, he nodded to Ross to do it as he got ready with the jar. Ross looked at "Ratliff", he shut his eyes himself as he leaned in and pressed his lips against Ratliff's. Right then he started to feel the spirit in Ratliff try to fight back as it knew what Ross was playing at, but Ross wrapped his arms around Ratliff's back tightly so he could barely move. It was only until Ratliff stopped trying to fight back he realised it was starting to work and Merlin got closer to them both with the jar.

Ross pulled away from kissing him when he felt Ratliff collapse into his arms, he slowly laid him down on the floor gently and turned around to Merlin who had the jar open. He grabbed it quickly and blew the spirit into it, slamming the lid on top of it. He sighed with relief "That could of been dangerous.." Ross said with a small laugh.

"You know, you could of just put the jar to Ratliff's mouth rather than kiss him. Right?" Merlin asked, taking great satisfaction in this. Just by the look on Ross's face Merlin tried his best not to keel over and laugh.

Ross sighed and shook his head "I'm gonna pretend you never just said that." Ross turned around and went over to Ratliff who was still on the floor. Maybe if he was a girl, Ross would of picked him up and carried him back to the tardis but something tells him he's going to be much more heavier than a girl. "Ratliff, wake up." Ross said.

Ratliff shook his head with his eyes shut, letting his hand go to his head. He slowly opened his eyes expecting townspeople to be hovering over him as well as the sun blinding his eyes, but no. He saw Ross and some raven haired boy hovering over him in some kind of room. He slowly sat up on the floor, with Ross supporting him as he did.

He sighed before looking at Ross "Was someone kissing me?" He asked.

"Who?" Ross asked.

"I don't know.. Morgana?" Ratliff asked.

"Oh yeah she did," Ross said "she had a evil spirit inside of her. By kissing you, it got out of her. So then I had to get it out of you and put it into this jar." Ross showed him the jar where Ratliff saw a black kind of dust substance floating around in the jar, which was obviously the spirit.

"Wait... if she kissed me to get it out of me... How did YOU get it out of me?" Ratliff asked, looking at Ross. At that point the room just went silent. "Oh my god Ross! Emily's going to kill me for kissing you! And Morgana. Jesus."

"Technically, she doesn't have to know.." Ross said, causing Ratliff to glare at him. Ross just grinned at Ratliff which made him turn around and go to leave the room, but Ross grabbed him by the arm "Hey, wait. You can't leave without me," Ross turned around and faced Merlin "thank you Merlin. I'm grateful."

"Merlin?" Ratliff questioned, looking at Ross and then at Merlin himself "no way."

Merlin looked at Ross and Ratliff with puzzled glances, mainly because ever since he had met Ross he had appeared to be fascinated by everything around him. Almost like he's never been here before, which is odd. Though it wouldn't be, seen as though Merlin has never seen Ross or Ratliff around Camelot. Merlin folded his arms "You two aren't from here are you?" Merlin asked.

Ross and Ratliff looked at each other. Ratliff looked at Ross with confused as he didn't know what to say, hoping that Ross had done this a million times. And given that he has travelled in time millions of times he probably has. Ross looked to Merlin from Ratliff "No, we're not."

"Then where are you from?" Merlin asked.

Ross smiled "That's all you need to know," Ross said as he started to go out of the door along with Ratliff, actually he was pushing Ratliff out of the door by force. Gently. "As far as you're concerned, we were never here." Ross winked at him and pulled Ratliff down the hallway.

"Merlin?"

Merlin turned around to find Morgana waking up in her bed. "What.." She sat up in her bed quickly "what are you doing in here?"

Ross and Ratliff just to leave right now, didn't they? Merlin sighed heavily, looking up to the ceiling as if he was cursing god when in actual fact he was cursing them two boys.

Ratliff sat in the chair in the tardis, sitting back in it "First trip through time.. and I get possessed by an evil spirit.." Ratliff paused as Ross sorted out the tardis so it would go back home, AKA where Ratliff's was. Ratliff then smiled "I say it's a mission well done."

Ross laughed looking away from Ratliff "I guess erm.. you'll be going home now? Back to Jenna and..." Ross paused "Emily." he said flatly.

Ratliff got up from his seat, leaning against the light brown bit on the controls to the whole machine "I've gotta," Ratliff sighed "I can't leave Jenna on her own and Emily... she'll kill me if I'm gone too long. And she'll get suspicious. She saw me running down the alley yesterday with you, holding your hand when you dragged me away from that Dalek or whatever it's called."

"No, yeah.. I understand."

Ratliff frowned, going over to Ross and standing next to him closely "Do you not want me to go?" Ratliff asked.

Ross shook his head "No, it's not that it's just.." He turned and looked at Ratliff "I do this by myself and have done my entire life when the friends I have had in the past haven't left, died or got trapped somewhere, where I can't get them back. Pretty much just a lonely guy really.."

Ratliff sighed and rubbed Ross's arm "I know, it hurts to be lonely.. but if I come with you.. that means my sister Jenna will be lonely and on her own with nobody in the house."

Ross went go say something, but stopped "Yeah.. I understand.." Ross look away from him and walked around to the other side of the tardis.

Ratliff stood there frowning, watching Ross sadly as he walked around with an upset look "Ross.."

The tardis then shook, which meant it had landed somewhere. Well, it wasn't somewhere. Ratliff knew exactly where it was. Home. "There we go.. we're home." Ross said. He then shook his head "I mean your home."

Ratliff sighed, making his way over to the door slowly. He got to the door and opened it slightly, seeing they were in the alley way opposite his house, he then re-shut it, making Ross look to the door which shock and surprise. "Come to mine for a bit," Ratliff said "just for about 10 minutes. Or longer. Or however long you want. It wouldn't hurt to have someone else around, sometimes it gets boring with just me and Jenna."

Both of them stood there in silence for a couple of seconds, Ratliff was waiting for Ross to make a movement and tell him an answer. He got that answer when Ross picked up his coat "I guess it won't hurt." Ross smiled. Ratliff laughed, keeping the smile on his face. If he was honest he was glad and smiling more than ever right now, he grabbed Ross by the arm and pulled him out of the tardis, letting Ross lock the door before they made their way over to the house.

Ratliff opened the front door nervously, waiting to be attacked with questions with where he was. It was daylight which meant it was the next day, looking at the time it had just gone 3 in the afternoon so no doubt Emily and Jenna both noticed he was gone. He tried to close to the door quietly but it didn't work as he heard footsteps coming from the living room.

"Ratliff! Where have you been?!" Jenna asked, coming through into the hallway with Emily behind her. She then saw Ross and gave him a weird look "Who are you?"

"That would be who I saw him run off with last night after he disappeared." Emily said, starting to chip in.

"Y-you saw that?" Ratliff asked, nervously.

"YES!" Emily yelled "I'm not blind! I saw him leave through the back door and then you follow him!" she then began to hit Ratliff harshly, he just held his hands up in defence as Emily hit him.

Ross just stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to say or do as he watched his new friend being beaten up by his girlfriend. "Don't think I've forgotten about you either!" She said turning to Ross. "Huh?" that's all he managed to get out before Emily hit him.

"Whoa!" Ratliff said, swooping her away from him "calm down! We didn't DO anything! Jesus, have you seen the state of him?" Ratliff mumbled the last part.

"You know, I am right here."

Emily rubbed her face "I saw you both.. in the alleyway running together.. holding hands.. and then I watched you both disappear together up until now. So tell me.. what the hell is going on."

Ratliff looked at Ross, to Jenna who was also waiting just as much as Emily was. He looked back at Emily "I can't tell you that," Ratliff said "but just know.. I didn't do anything with him for the love of god."

"Then tell me if you didn't do anything."

"I can't. It's not my place to say anything about it."

Emily rolled her eyes "Then if you can't tell me then we're done." She said, grabbing her coat off the side and making her way to the door.

"Excuse me?"

"We're over! Okay? Just.. leave me alone.. don't even speak to me."

The door then swung open and slammed shut, meaning Emily had left. Ratliff sighed putting his head in his hands, he turned around and faced Jenna and Ross "Is it weird I'm not bothered?" Ratliff asked.

Jenna shrugged "I'm not particularly bothered, I never liked her anyway." She said, flashing a quick smile and going into the living room.

Ratliff looked at Ross who looked guilty, he just shook his head and simply told Ross it wasn't his fault and that it was his own. He wasn't even that bothered that Emily had broken up with him anyway, he'd became less bothered about Emily ever since they went back in time to Camelot and he was kissed by Ro- Morgana.

Morgana. That's the one.. he stopped thinking about Emily and let her slowly slip from his mind when Morgana kissed him. Yeah. Sure. That's the one. He hopes.

He looked at Ross and out of the small window in the door way over to the tardis. Ratliff smiled and turned around going into the living room where Jenna was, Ross followed "Jenna, we need to talk." Ratliff said, sitting on the opposite couch from Jenna.

Jenna had stopped what she was doing and looked to Ratliff "What about?"

He sighed "I'm.. erm.. I'm going away for a while," Ratliff said, unsure about how Jenna was going to take it. Though he could basically feel Ross's reaction "and... I don't know how often I'll be back."

Jenna frowned "What? Why?"

"Because.." Ratliff let his gaze fall from Jenna over to Ross "if I told you, you wouldn't believe me." he looked back to Jenna.

"But Ratliff," Jenna said, kneeling down in front of Ratliff holding onto him "your all I have left. You can't leave.." She said coming close to tears "please don't leave me." she started cry.

Ratliff brought her into his arms and hugged "Look, I don't want to leave you either.. but.. this.. this is a once in a life time opportunity I'm not going to lie. It's not going to come around again.. I can feel it."

"Then take me with you."

"I can't risk your life like that... I don't know how dangerous it's going to be but by the stories I've been told," He looked at Ross with a grin "it'll be pretty dangerous." Ross just smiled.

Ratliff pulled away from Jenna and looked at her "I promise I will visit. As much as I can. In fact, I can as much as I like."

Jenna nodded "W-where.. where are you going? Please tell me.."

Ratliff stood up, taking Jenna up with him as they walked to the window. He opened up the curtain so she could see out of it "See that blue box?" Ratliff asked, pointing to it. Jenna nodded wiping her eyes. "I'm going in that.. it um.. kinda goes places people can't regularly go."

"Like where?"

"Um... time." Ratliff said, making Jenna look up at Ratliff in disbelief. "I'm not pulling your leg Jenna, it really does go back in time. Thanks to him, I've just met about two thirds of the whole Arthurian legend. I was kissed.. by Morgana Pendragon. I mean.. wow."

Jenna turned around and looked at Ross "Is he kidding?" Jenna asked. Ross shook his head. Jenna turned around "Prove it."

"Alright, I will," Ratliff said, going over to the door which led upstairs "once I've grabbed a suitcase because I'm not staying in these clothes all the time.."

Around half an hour later, Ratliff came downstairs with his suitcase. It wasn't really that big as he did want to come back and see Jenna every now and then. "Right, I'll see you sometime soon Jenna." Ratliff said, hugging her.

Jenna pulled away "Have fun travelling through time."

Ratliff pulled away from the hug and gave Jenna a weird look "Thought you didn't believe it went through time?" Ratliff asked.

Jenna laughed, looking at Ratliff "Whilst you were packing Ross took me on a little trip somewhere."

"Really? Where..?" Ratliff asked.

"To about.." Jenna thought for a moment "2 or 3 years from here. He actually took me here 3 years into the future. But.." Jenna paused, with a frown. Ratliff gave Jenna a half worried expression, seeing she was worrying about something "we.. you.. we weren't here anymore. Me and you.. I don't know where we were.. but we weren't here."

Ratliff shrugged "Hey, maybe a year or so from now I might let you come with me. Maybe that's why." Ratliff smiled.

Jenna nodded "Maybe, now go. Have fun. I'll be here waiting." She said, stepping away from the door.

Ratliff opened the door and walked out of the door with Ross behind him. Ross went to go leave the house when Jenna stopped him "Take care of him." Jenna said "he's all I have left.."

Ross turned around and smiled at her "I will, I promise." he said, giving her a quick hug and then leaving. Shutting the door. She then went into the living room and watched out of the window for Ross and Ratliff leaving.

Ross and Ratliff walked over to the tardis "So, where do you wanna go then?" Ross asked, pulling out the key from his pocket, unlocking the door.

"I don't-"

"RATLIFF!"

Ross and Ratliff turned around where they saw a boy about Ratliff's age coming towards him, Ratliff rolled his eyes and smiled "What do you want?" Ratliff asked.

"I just came to see what you were up to.." He looked down to see Ross unlocking a blue box and Ratliff with a suitcase "but.. by the looks of it your leaving. Why? How could you not tell me? I'm like what..your only best friend?"

"I didn't tell you because I'm going to be back."

"Well.. can I come with?"

Ratliff sighed, looking at Ross and then at his friend. He then looked back at Ross. "I suppose, more the merrier right?" Ross questioned, opening the door and going into the tardis.

"Alright," Ratliff sighed "but.. Ryan... please don't freak out."

Ryan shook his head "I won't." he nudged Ratliff in the arm and jumped into the tardis, getting the shock of his life seeing it was bigger then he had actually thought. "What the fuck."

"Told ya." Ratliff said shutting the door. He looked at Ryan, who looked at Ratliff with a confused expression, grinning.

"Welcome to the journey."

**_Next Time: The Girl In The Fireplace_**

**_Then: The Darkest Hour_**

**_Later: The Crystal Cave_**

**_After: The Rise Of The Cyber Men (Parallel World)_**

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**Ah, I know it was a little soon to bring in a new character but I originally had Ryan as Emily to go with them.. but I decided no half way through the chapter cx**

**I know it's ALL seeming rushed right now and shit but TRUST me the best is yet to come! I promise! :) **

**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**


	5. The Girl In The Fireplace: The Girl

**Jesus, I'm getting so into writing this story! Omg. Like, this is over 4,000 words long and I know I've wrote longer but jesus. i thought this was going to be a one-off chapter like the next one, but it's gonna end up being a 2 or 3 parter. I hope you guys like this chapter :)**

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**The Girl In The Fireplace: Part 1**

Ross, Ratliff and Ryan had all been on about 3 trips through time by now. Technically it was 2, because when they went to go to the third place Ross realised where they were going and stopped them which was a disappointment to Ryan and Ratliff. They really wanted to go where Ross wouldn't let them.

Apparently there's just something about Parallel World's Ross doesn't like.

They wouldn't mind going to a world that's the same as their Earth, but different. It'd be a change. You know, where all the dead people are alive and the alive people are different to who they are on the original planet or they're dead. No matter how much Ratliff begged and Ryan got all sassy and sarcastic with him, he still kept on saying no. Throughout Ross's time with Ratliff and Ryan, he soon learnt Ryan was a little shit. And by little shit he means sarcastic, idiotic.. just stuff like that. As for a Ratliff, he was definitely different. He actually clicked and connected with Ross unlike any other person he had met. Not even Ryan connected with Ross that much.

Ross emerged out of the tardis once it had landed being closely followed by Ross and Ratliff. When they stepped out of it they appeared to notice where they were was dark, apart from outside where they could see about a thousand stars. Or maybe even a million.

The three of them started to find some kind of light source that would switch on the light to the room so they could see where they were, when eventually Ryan found one by running his hands across the wall. He switched it on and they all looked around, seeing they were on some kind of ship. Not a ship on water kind of ship, but... a spaceship. They figured that out by all the controls that were messed up, the messiness and when they looked outside they could see other planets.

Ryan smiled "Awesome! A spaceship!" He said, starting to get excited, turning to Ross "Brilliant!" He then turned to Ratliff "I got a spaceship on my third go," he then returned to looking at Ross "or should I say... fourth."

Ross rolled his eyes at Ryan, making Ratliff pound him in the arm. He walked away from Ryan and Ross a couple of metres looking around in surprise that nobody was there "It's a little bit abandoned, don't you think?" he turned around "do you think anybody's on board?"

Ross shook his head "No, nobody's here. Nothing is here. Well..." his voice went pitchy "nothing dangerous- actually... not that dangerous," He paused, looking at the horror and confused expressions coming from Ratliff and Ryan "You know what, I'll just.. have a quick scan and look around in case.. of.. erm.. anything dangerous."

Ratliff smirked as Ross went over to one of the control panels to see if he could get anything else started other than the lights. The first thing he done was starting to tap buttons, god knows what could happen. He could probably end up blowing up the entire ship. And them along with it.

"What's the date? How far into the future are we?"

"About three thousand years. Give or take."

Ross looked along the control panel where he found a switch, he looked to Ryan and Ratliff who were still looking around. All that he was thinking about was how this switch was either going to prove useful or blow them up. He shrugged. He's got himself into worse situations. Ross pulled the switch, which didn't seem to do nothing a first.

That was until they looked up where they saw the roof gradually opening into a window which showed the most spectacular view of the stars outside that they had ever seen. Well, that Ryan and Ratliff had ever seen. Ross laughed with pleasure as he walked over to Ryan and put his arm around him "Fifty first century. Diagmar Cluster, you're a long way from home Ryan. Two and a half galaxies."

Ryan moved from where he was stood, taking Ross's arm from around him, and walked up to a porthole which showed him the outside, he looked out gazing in awe. Ratliff walked over to look with him, placing his arm on Ryan's shoulder smiling as Ross continued rummaging around the room trying to find some other stuff to try have a clue whereabouts in space they were other than the fifty first century. But all he kept on finding and picking up was presumably broken technology.

He chucked the broken pieces of the ship down onto the floor casually before he noticed a screen with a diagram of the spaceship on it. Ryan and Ratliff walked over to look at it also. "Well that's odd," Ross said with growing surprise and curiosity "look at that. All the warp engines are going full capacity. There's enough power in the whole entire ship to punch a hole in the universe..." He turned his head, noticing the ship wasn't even moving a single inch "and we're not even moving. Not even a millimetre..."

"Where'd all the crew go then?" Ratliff asked.

Ross leant forward on the control panel and tweaked some knobs that were there, he turned his head back looking at Ratliff "Good question because.. there's no life readings. Nobody's onboard."

"Obviously," Ratliff said "we're in space. They didn't go out for a quick fag or a piss, did they?"

"Nope, checked all the smoking pods." Ross said, taking Ratliff seriously not noticing the sarcasm that was in his voice. Mainly because he was use to Ryan because sarcastic and Ratliff rarely was. He was funny, but not sarcastic.

The three of them paused as they got a strong smell of something coming from another room. They looked at one another, turning their heads to see where it was coming from "I'm not the only one who can smell that right..?" Ross asked, sniffing.

"No... Someone's cooking.." Ratliff added after.

"Sunday roast, it's definitely a Sunday roast!" Ryan said, looking around. Making it obvious he was hungry.

Ross lent back over the control panel and hit a button which opened up a door behind them, making them turn around instantly. All of them walked through the door cautiously where they found that part of a wall and floor through the room was covered in 18th century decor, as well as a familiar looking lit fireplace. "Well.. there's something you don't see in your average spaceship.." Ryan said as they approached it.

Ross walked over taking a closer look at it "Eighteenth century! French.. Nice mantel," he pulled out the sonic screwdriver and pointed it at it "and not a hologram.." he bent down to the fire place to examine it more whilst Ryan and Ratliff looked around the room more.

"It's not even a reproduction.. this is an actual eighteenth century French fireplace. Double-sided, there's even another room on the other side through there." Ross said, looking through seeing a room with a bed and other stuff you'd find in your typical eighteenth century French bedroom.

Ratliff looked through a porthole that was on the same wall that the fireplace was where he could clearly see that there was only the rest of space outside. He looked confused, in fact there was no looking confused about it.. he WAS confused. More confused than he had been in his entire life "There can't be, that's the outer hull of the ship, look.." Ratliff said disbelievingly.

Ross took a quick look from where he was standing when he suddenly dropped to the floor looking through the fireplace into the other room. Out of nowhere, Ross saw a young girl with long blonde hair, dressed in a night gown, looking back at him. "Hey."

"Hello..." The girl said, confused as to why there was a man in her fireplace. Although he looked more like a teen than a man.

"What's your name?" Ross asked.

"Reinette."

"Reinette, that's a nice name. Can you tell me where you are at the moment, Reinette?" Ross asked, being encouraging to let her know he meant no harm to her. God knows what would happen if she went screaming and crying for help.

Reinette started to become slightly suspicious of the man in her fireplace "I'm in my bedroom.."

"Yeah, got that part. I meant.. where do you live?"

"Paris, of course!"

"Paris! Right!"

"Monsieur, what are you doing in my fireplace?" She asked.

Ross looked up at the fireplace, pretending he was inspecting it "Um.. just a routine... fire check thing. You couldn't possibly tell me what year it is?"

"1727."

"Right, awesome, super. One of my favourites, August is rubbish though. Stay indoors. Okay, that's all for the time being. Thanks for you help, enjoy the rest of the fire," Ross smiled "night."

Ross then stood up from the fireplace, turning around and looking thoughtful. Ryan had his arms folded, looking at Ross confused "You said this was the fifty first century?"

"I also said this ship was generating enough energy to punch a hole in the universe," Ross said, which made Ryan a little uneasy about this whole thing. He looked panicked "but, I think we just found the hole. Must be a spatio-temporal hyperlink."

"What?" Ryan asked blankly, with no idea what that meant. He didn't speak alien. "What's that?"

Ross shook his head "No idea," He rocked back and forth on the heels of his feet "Just made it up. Didn't really want to say 'magic door'."

"And on the other side of the," Ratliff changed his voice to deep "magic door," he turned his voice back to normal "is France 1727."

Ross knocked and looked back at the fireplace before walking across the room and taking off his coat, throwing it into the corner. He seemed to do that a lot "She was speaking French. Right period of French too."

Ryan cocked his head "But she was speaking English.. I heard her."

Ratliff draped his arm around Ryan's neck as Ross stride back to the fireplace "That's the tardis - translates for ya," Ratliff said "have you not been paying attention these last 3 and a half visits through time?"

"Parallel world doesn't count!" Ross called from the fireplace.

"Kinda does, we only got half way there and then all of a sudden you were like 'nope'." Ratliff said, taking his arm from around Ryan.

Ross decided to ignore that last part, he just couldn't drill it into Ratliff's head how much Ross didn't like Parallel Worlds. It wasn't the world itself, it's more like what could go wrong. Be in the wrong place, the wrong time and you can get trapped there forever with no way out unless you had some kind of miracle. Ross had known nobody who's been in a Parallel World, been trapped there and got out.

He wasn't about to start with Ratliff and Ryan.

Ross looked around the sides of the fireplace looking for something when he decided to just knee the side of it, that's when it started to rotate - like in a horror movie - and it took Ross with it too the other side "Haha, gotcha!" Ross called out as he went round in it.

"ROSS!" Ratliff called, running up too the fireplace realising Ross was gone.

When the fireplace had finished turning, Ross found himself standing in a dark and shadowy bedroom, where young Reinette was sleeping. As Ross walked towards the window, the ticking of a clock could be heard throughout the room. He went towards the window where he could see a Paris skyline, and it was snowing too.

There was a neigh of horses and once they had neighed, Reinette's eyes snapped open to see the silhouette of Ross at the window. She sat up as Ross turned around to face her "It's okay! Don't scream, it's me!" Ross said, holding his hands out in front of him "It's me. The fireplace man."

He walked over to Reinette's bedside where he lit a candle with the sonic screwdriver by her bed, but Reinette still looked startled by him. "We were talking a few minutes ago." He said, looking down at her in her bed.

Reinette looked at Ross confused "Monsieur, that was weeks ago! Months even..."

Ross's eyes widened in surprise "Really? Oh.."

Ross turned around and walked back to the fireplace, knocking on it listening to the sound it was producing. "Must be a loose connection. Need to get a man in."

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Reinette asked.

Ross didn't reply as he was too busy staring at the broken clock in the mantel with his mouth open, looking slightly fearful. The ticking sound became prominent once more "Okay.. that's scary.." Ross continued to look at the broken clock.

"You're scared of a broken clock?" Reinette asked skeptically.

"Just a bit scared, yeah. Just a little tiny bit. Cause you see... if this clock's broken, and it's the only clock in the room..." Ross paused, turning around to look back at Reinette where she could see the glass of the face of the clock was smashed. "Then what's that..." Ross asked rhetorically, referring to the ticking sound of a clock.

The ticking sound began to become louder throughout the room, Reinette looked around turning her head to find the direction in where it was coming from. Ross barely moved from where he was stood speaking slowly and quietly "Cause you see.. that's not a clock. You can tell by the resonance. Way too big.. sex feet, I'd say. Size of a man."

"Then.. what is it?"

Ross moved from where he was stood, checking behind the curtains, where he found nothing there. Ross started to speak more quickly as he spilled out his thoughts in the process "Now, let's think. If you were a thing that ticks and you were hiding in someone's bedroom, first thing you do: break the clock. No one notices the sound of one clock ticking, but two?" Ross paused "you might start to wonder if you're really alone."

Ross moved towards the bed Reinette was sitting up in and crouched down beside it as he pulled out the sonic screwdriver out of his pocket, giving Reinette instructions "Stay on the bed. Right in the middle. Don't put your hands or feet over the edge."

Ross slowly peered underneath the bed before turning on the sonic screwdriver to scan when suddenly something smacked Ross backwards, knocking the screwdriver out of his hand. Reinette gasped, Ross scrambled back to look underneath, knowing now there was something else under there. That's when he saw the feet of something standing there, wearing typical aristocratic French dress.

Ross slowly resumed from crouching looking at Reinette with wide eyes "Reinette..." Ross said "don't look behind you." He whispered.

A figure stood on the other side of her bed, wearing a creepy clown-like mask leering down at Reinette sitting on the bed, who by the look on her face looked terrified. "You stay exactly where you are Reinette."

Ross stood up, looking straight at the figure, glancing back at Reinette, the at the figure, and then back at Reinette, discomforted by something "Hold still, let me look.." Ross bent down and grasped Reinette's head between his hands, staring intently into her eyes with a disturbed expression before looking back at the figure "You've been scanning her brain!" He said shocked. He paused, looking once more into Reinette's eyes before standing straight again.

"I don't get it," Ross said horrified and incredulous "you've crossed two galaxies and thousands of years just to scan a little girls brain?! What is there in a little girls mind worth blowing a hole in the universe?"

"I don't understand.. it wants me?!" Reinette turned her head and looked at the figure, not even flinching once "you want me?"

The figure's head twitched to one side and spoke in a distinctly mechanical voice "No yet. You are incomplete."

"'Incomplete'? What does that mean?" Ross asked.

The droid didn't answer, it kept on looking down at Reinette. Ross spoke in a firm but slightly irritated voice, producing the sonic screwdriver and pointing it threateningly at the droid "You can answer her, you can answer me."

The droid again did not answer, instead he walked in jerky movements around the bed and faced Ross. It extended it's arm where a menacing looking blade sliced out near Ross's face, Ross tilted his head away.

"Monsieur, be careful!"

"It's just a nightmare Reinette, don't worry about it. Everyone has nightmares." Ross started to back away from the droid, but that didn't work as the droid started to pursuing on it. It swiped it's blade at Ross, but he jumped back reaching the fireplace. "Even the monsters from under the bed have nightmares, don't you, monster?"

The droid slashed at Ross again, making him jump aside where the droid's blade got stuck in the mantel. "What do monsters have nightmares about?" Reinette asked.

As the droid struggled, Ross took the opportunity to to turn the fireplace back round "Me, ha!"

Reinette smiled as Ross disappeared with the mantel rotating with Ross and the droid on it.

"Ross!" Ratliff called as he saw the fireplace spinning back around.

As the fireplace finished turning Ross jumped off the fireplace and ran where he grabbed a gun-like object from the wall, using it to spray ice at the droid as it came at him. The droid convulsed in a last, vain attempt to free itself before freezing completely.

"Awesome, ice gun!" Ryan said appreciatively.

Ross calmly threw the 'gun' to Ratliff who caught it quickly. "Fire extinguisher."

Ratliff looked the 'gun' in his hands up and down and then back at the droid "Where did that thing come from?"

"Here."

"So why is it dressed like that?" Ryan asked.

Ross looked at the droid and back at Ryan "Field trip to France, some kind of basic camouflage protocol - nice needlework! Shame about the face.." Ross walked back over to the droid, squinting at it. Ross pulled off the droid's wig to reveal it's actual head - an ornate clockwork mechanism, covered with clear plastic egg shaped container. Ross couldn't help but admire it, with near giddy excitement "Oh, you are beautiful!"

Ryan and Ratliff edged closer together in curiosity, Ross took one last wistful look at the droid before holding up the sonic screwdriver. As he was about to use it, the droid creaked back into life and teleported away. Ryan and Ratliff blinked a couple of times and looked around for it, Ross just sighed, rolling his eyes stuffing the screwdriver preparing himself to go back to the other side of the fireplace. "Short range teleport," Ross said getting himself in position "couldn't of got far. Could still be on board-"

"What is it?" Ratliff asked.

After that question, Ross immediately pointed at Ryan and Ratliff "Don't go looking for it!" Ross said, knowing them both they would go looking for it and get themselves into some sort of trouble.

"Where're you going?"

"Back in a second." the fireplace turned, returning back to Reinette's side.

Ratliff looked down at the fire extinguisher, weighing it up in his hands as he grinned. Ryan then realised what Ratliff was planning "He said not to look for it..."

Ratliff started feigning seriousness "Yeah, he did.."

Both boys looked at each other for a few moments before Ryan smiled and grabbed the other fire extinguisher on the wall. "Now your getting it!" Ratliff said laughingly. They then both jogged out of the room.

Ross turned around and jumped off the fireplace now in Reinette's bedroom. At least he thinks it's Reinette's bedroom, as the bedroom was now made out of red and gold. It wasn't before. Like.. five minutes ago. Ross stepped away from the fireplace and called out "Reinette... Just checking your okay..."

Ross idly brushed his hand across the strings of a harp as Reinette, now a beautiful young woman, walked into the room. She paused, recognising Ross. Ross never noticed Reinette until she cleared her throat. He turned his head "Oh! Hello!" Ross was surprised, and at least marginally distracted by her appearance "Um, I was just looking for Reinette. Uh, this is still her room, isn't it? I've been away, not sure how long." Ross said with a slight stutter.

"Reinette we're ready to go!" Reinette's mother called out from outside the room.

"Go to the carriage, mother. I will join you there!" Reinette called out.

A marveling grin of realisation spread across Ross's face. "It is customary, I think, to have an imaginary friend only during one's childhood. You are to be congratulated on your persistence."

"Reinette!" Ross said amazed, making Reinette smile. "Well.." Ross swallowed, looking her up and down "Goodness, how you've grown."

Reinette approached him "Do not look me up and down like that, your heart does not belong to me," She said, knowingly. It was instinctively that she knew he didn't like her the way he was looking at her. Instead of talking about that subject, she decided to stick to the topic they were on "You do not to have appeared to of aged a single day. That is tremendously impolite of you."

Ross was unsure how to react to that "Right... yes... sorry. Um.. um... um... listen, lovely to catch up, but er, better be off, eh? Don't want your mother finding you up here with a strange guy, do we?"

"Strange? How could you be a stranger to me? I have known you since I was seven years old."

Ross nodded "Yeah.. I suppose you have," he let let out a small laugh "I came the quick route."

Reinette touched Ross's cheek, examining him. Ross's eyes widened. "Well, you seem to be flesh and blood, at any rate, but this absurd. Reason tells me you cannot be real."

Ross shook his head, gazing at her "Oh pffft... You never want to listen to reason..."

"Mademoiselle! Your mother grows impatient!" A servant called from outside.

"A moment!" Reinette called back, annoyed by the interruption. Reinette looked back at Ross "So many questions.. so little time. Despite what she had said before about Ross's heart belonging to someone else, she grabbed him by his shirt towards her and kissed him passionately on the lips.

Both of them stumbled backwards over into the mantelpiece where the fireplace was, it took Ross a while to sink in and start to kiss Reinette back.

"Mademoiselle Poisson!" The servant called, getting closer.

Reinette immediately broke the kiss, running to open the door, grabbing a purse from her dressing table as she went, without so much as a backward glance. She was gone. Ross watched Reinette awestruck as she left. The servant came to the door and stopped dead when he saw Ross.

"Poisson?" Ross questioned. The penny dropped. "Reinette Poisson?"

The servant looked bemused at Ross by his presence in the room. "No... no, no, no, no, no way, Reinette Poisson?!" Ross then ran right up to the manservant, as though interrogating him, but not letting him get a word in "Later Madame Etoiles? Later still mistress of Louis the fifteenth, uncrowned Queen of France?" Ross then began to ran back towards the fireplace "Actress, artist, musician, dancer, courtesan? Fantastic gardener!" Ross laughed.

"Who the hell are you?!" The servant asked.

Ross reached for the fireplace and found the trigger back to the ship. Ross was giddy "I'm Ross. And I just snogged Madame de Pompadour!" The fireplace revolved again, taking Ross with it as he laughed manically. Ross stepped back onto the ship.

"Ratliff!" Ross called, seeing he wasn't there.

"Ryan!"

Ross looked around, seeing nobody was there at all and both of the fire extinguishers were gone.

Ross strived forward, peeved "Every time, every time, it's rule one - Don't wander off! I tell them, I do, rule one! There could be anything on this ship!" He peeved out loud to himself.

Ross turned around the corner to go find Ratliff and Ryan where he was met by a white horse in the middle of the corridor. Ross blinked whilst the horse whinnied.

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**Hope you found some of this chapter some-what entertaining like at the end when Ross came through and found Ryan and Ratliff gone :D Even though I completely copied off Doctor Who for this because I've forgot how this episode goes the only bit I do know off by heart from this episode is when The Doctor's drunk... lol cx **

**Anyway, I need to ask you guys a question.. I know it's a little soon into the story and all but is there anything specific that you ship? Or people you want to be together? Just let me know ;)**

**4 OR 5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE.**


	6. The Girl In The Fireplace: Clockwork Men

**A nice long chapter for you guys! :) Over 7,000 words... I hope you like it lol this is what happens when I follow the actual episodes.. cx **

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_**The Girl In The Fireplace: Part 2**_

Ryan looked furtively down a corridor of the spaceship, holding one of the fire extinguishers before he done a Indiana Jones-style drop-and-roll down it. He carried on in the same way until he saw a surveillance camera. It moved towards him and blinked. "Are you looking at me?" Ryan asked, looking at the camera.

The camera moved closer to Ryan's face suddenly, making Ryan jump back with a squeak of alarm. Ryan looked into the camera where he saw a human eye inside of it. Ratliff eventually came down the corridor to join Ryan. Ryan stopped Ratliff "Look."

Both of them looked at the camera as the eye in it looked back at them. "That's a real eye inside of there.." Ryan said.

The eye retreated back into the wall before the sound of a heartbeat could be heard close by, Ratliff bent down to a small circular cover in the bulkhead. He tried to pull the cover away, but it scalded him. He tried again to pull it where it opened up to reveal a human heart with veins and pipes attaching it into the ship. "What is that? What's that in the middle there? It looks like it's wired in." Ryan said, looking down at the heart.

Ratliff almost threw up, so he gagged instead "That's a heart, Ryan.. it's a human heart." Ratliff said in quiet disgust.

Ross had been looking for Ryan and Ratliff for a while now, and he had no idea where he was going looking for them. What did he say to them? Stay where they are. Did they listen? No. Do they ever listen to him? No. This is why he wouldn't let them visit the Parallel World. Because they have to listen which is something they fail at quite badly. Very badly in fact. He wouldn't be surprised that if they did visit the Parallel World that one of them got lost and trapped there.

He crossed a junction of corridors, looking completely lost. "Ratliff?" Ross called out like a lost child.

The horse followed Ross and it had been ever since he first saw it. Ross stopped to take a look down one of the corridors before he turned to the horse "Will you stop following me? I'm not your mother!" Ross said irritably. "You think I can look after you when I've basically got two kids of my own running around who don't do as they're told!" He said, referring to Ryan and Ratliff.

Instead of the horse leaving, he nosed Ross. Ross moved away from the horse having spotting a set of white, French double doors. He walked over to it and opened them "So this is where you came from, eh, horsey?"

Ross stepped out through the doors onto a grassy courtyard, once again in Versailles. He twisted and turned his head looking around the courtyard when his eyes landed on a familiar figure, Ross smiled and walked over to a low wall with a pillar and an urn on top. Two ladies laughed, walking arm and arm a fair distance away from it.

As both of the ladies spoke, Ross watched them in the background. Whilst Reinette finished talking to her friend Catherine, still walking arm and arm around the courtyard, she suddenly turned around as though she had spotted something out of the corner of her eye. Ross quickly ducked behind the pillar just in time before Reinette could see him.

Reinette's attention soon left the pillar and returned back to focusing on her conversation with Catherine, knowing that her attention had wandered off some place else, Ross stepped from behind the pillar, straightening up and leaning against the wall watching peacefully. Ross smiled as watched Reinette and her friend continuing to talk.

As Catherine laughed, Reinette turned around once more convinced she was being watched. When she turned around, that was Ross's cue to jump behind the pillar again, only just making it.

"Is something wrong, my dear?"

Reinette turned her head and looked at Catherine, smiling "Not wrong, no."

Ross straightened up a little, waiting for Reinette and her friend to leave and go so he could get back onto the ship. After the two ladies had paused, they both linked arms once more and walked again across the courtyard away from where Ross was stood. Ross straightened up again and lent against the wall, watching as their voices disappeared into the distance.

Ratliff and Ryan were still walking around the corridors of the spaceship holding their guns, being alert for any of them droid's they had seen back at the fireplace, as the cameras on the walls watched them. Both of the guys chose not to look at the camera's, deciding they didn't need to see human eyes inside cameras that had been detached from someone's skull. "Maybe it wasn't a real heart.." Ryan started up about the heart in the ship wired up again.

"Course it was a real heart, Ryan, did you not see it?"

Ryan kept on looking around at his surroundings as he continued on talking to Ratliff "What? Is this just like a normal day for you or something ever since you met Ross? Just your average day?" Ryan asked. He was clearly surprised and freaked out, seen as though he hadn't known Ross as long as Ratliff had. Still to this day Ryan doesn't know how long or how Ross and Ratliff met.

Ratliff shrugged "Life with Ross, Ryan. No more average days."

Both of them stopped in their tracks as they passed a window, they looked into it seeing a luxurious 18th century room. A little bit like the fireplace back where they had came from, but obviously it was going to be like that as it was the same house, wasn't it?

"It's France again, we can see France." Ryan said as he looked through into the room.

"No shit Sherlock, this whole place leads to doors into France," Ratliff rolled his eyes. "I think we're looking through a mirror.."

The doors to the room on the other side of the mirror opened where the King entered with two of his servants. "Blimey, look at this guy, who does he think he is?" Ryan asked, referring to the King.

"The King Of France." Ross said, appearing behind Ratliff and Ryan. He had finally caught up to them after searching for what felt like days, even though it was at least 45 minutes.

"Oh," Ratliff said turning his head slightly and looking at Ross "here's trouble. What you been up to?"

Ross watched the King as he stood between Ratliff and Ryan, looking through the mirror and over to the King "Oh you know, this and that. Became the imaginary friend of a future French aristocrat... picked a fight with a clockwork man-" Ross was cut off by the sound of the horse whinnying from around the corner. "Oh, and I met a horse." Ross added at the end, looking at Ratliff, after the horse was done whinnying.

The horse trotted round the corner and into Ratliff and Ryan's view. Ryan stared at the horse as it walked by and stood with them "What on earth is a horse doing on a ship?" He asked.

"Ryan, what's a pre-Revolutionary France doing on a spaceship? Get a little perspective." Ross immediately said back with no hesitation what so ever. Ross then looked through the window from Ryan, he pointed "See these? They're all over the place. On every deck. Gateways to history. But no just any old history.." Ross placed his finger on the glass as Reinette entered the room "Hers. Time window... deliberately arranged along the life of one particular women. A spaceship from the fifty-first century stalking a women from the eighteenth. Why?"

"Who is she?" Ratliff asked, looking at her. Taking no interest in her what so ever, normally he would take interest in girls as beautiful as her but there was just something about her he didn't like one bit. He couldn't put his finger on it.

"Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, known to her friends as Reinette. One of the most accomplished women who ever lived."

"So.. has she got plans on being the Queen then?"

Ross shook his head "No, he's already got a Queen. She's got plans of being his mistress."

"Oh, I get it.. Camilla." Ratliff said, making Ryan and Ratliff laugh.

"I think this is the night they met. The night of the Yew Tree ball. In no time at flat, she'll get herself established as his official mistress, with her own rooms at the palace.. even her own title - Madame De Pompadour." Ross explained to them, something he'd been doing an awful lot today. Yet, nobody seemed to listen.

Reinette walked over to the mirror, preening herself. Ratliff just rolled his eyes as Ryan and Ross watched her "Queen must of loved her.." He said.

"Oh, she did," Ross said looking at Ratliff "they get on very well."

"The king's wife and the King's girlfriend?" Ryan asked.

Ross sighed "France.. it's a different planet."

Once again, like when Ross had met Reinette for the first time as a little girl, ticking noises made a reappearance. But not in the space ship, it was coming from the room they were looking at through the mirror where Reinette was. Ross looked over to find a clock was broken on top of the mantelpiece as it had been shattered.

Before the droid decided to do anything to Reinette, it teleported out of the room. Which meant it was back on the ship. "It's back on the ship," Ross said "Ratliff, take Ryan and Arthur, get after it. Follow it, don't approach it, just watch what it does."

Ratliff looked at Ross confused "Arthur?" Ratliff questioned.

"Good name for a horse."

"No, you're not keeping the horse!" Ratliff said, exasperated.

"I let you keep Ryan! Now go, go, go!"

Ryan gasped, but before he could say anything Ratliff grabbed his wrist and he and Ratliff were off to go find the droid. Ross waited until they were gone where he then spun the mirror around so he was back in Reinette's world "Reinette, you are going to have to trust me." Ross said, knowing that she had just seen the clockwork women. "I need to find out what they're looking for. There's only one way I can do that. Won't hurt a lot."

Reinette nodded her assent, once she did Ross placed his fingers on her temples and closed his eyes, Reinette also closed her eyes. A moment past when Reinette started talking "Fireplace man, you are inside my mind.." She said.

"Oh dear, Reinette.. You've certainly had some cow boys in there.."

Ryan and Ratliff walked among the ship carefully, trying not to run into any of the droid's and get themselves into trouble. So far, they hadn't found it. That's when Ryan let out a small laugh "That Ross, eh."

Ratliff kept on looking round each of the corners carefully in case of a droid "What are you talking about?"

"Well," Ryan said, his voice going high pitch and then returning to normal "Madame De Pompadour.. Maia Mitchell... Cleopatra.."

Ratliff stopped walking, clearly pissed off "Cleopatra - he mentioned her ONCE!" Ratliff snapped, turning his head looking at Ryan as if he was going to rip off his head, which scared Ryan. "Y-yeah," Ryan continued "But... he called her.. 'Cleo'.."

Ratliff went to go snap at Ryan once more, but he saw a droid coming up behind him "Ryan!" Ratliff almost shrieked

Before Ryan got a chance to react, the droid clutched Ryan around the neck with it's arm as another came up behind Ratliff and grabbed him before he could use his weapon against them both. Part of the droid's arm extended where two vicious needles came out of the end, which pointed at Ratliff's neck, the droid behind Ryan had done the same. The droid's injected them both with the needles where then the pair of the boys fell to the floor unconscious.

Ross and Reinette were still both linked together as Ross was just wondering about in her mind, trying to find out what the droid's were looking for. "You are in my memories, you walk among them." Reinette said, eyes still closed, amazed.

"If there's anything you don't want me to see, just imagine a door and close it. I won't look. Oh.. actually.. there's a door just there."

Reinette opened up her eyes and grinned slightly up at Ross. Ross continued on anyway "You might want to clo- ooh. Actually, several."

"To walk among the memories of another living soul.. do you ever get used to this?" She asked.

"I don't make a habit of it."

"How can you resist?"

"What age are you?" Ross asked.

Reinette gave Ross a funny look, but with a grin "So impertinent a question so early in the conversation. How promising."

Ross sighed "No, not my question - theirs. You're twenty-three and for some reason, that means you're not old enough." Reinette flinched as Ross continued to go through her memories. "Sorry, you might find old memories reawakening. Side effect." He quickly said.

"Oh, such a lonely childhood.."

"It'll pass. Stay with me." Ross said, trying to get her to focus.

"Oh, Ross. So lonely. So very, very alone.."

"What do you mean, alone? You've never been alone in your life-" Ross stopped in his sentence, letting his eyes snap open, looking at Reinette "When did you start calling me 'Ross'?"

Reinette continued to talk on about Ross, and his memories "Such a lonely little boy. Lonely then and lonelier now," Reinette re-opened her eyes and looked at Ross "how can you bear it?" She asked, with sympathy.

Ross took a few steps away from Reinette after she spoke "How did you do that?"

"A door, once opened, can be stepped through in either direction.." Reinette said, making Ross stare at Reinette vulnerable. "Oh Ross," Reinette said softly, stepping towards him "my lonely Ross. Dance with me."

"I can't.." Ross said warningly.

"Dance with me."

"This is the night you dance with the King.." Ross said, reminding her. Even though she probably didn't already know that, more than likely she did.

"Then first, I shall make him jealous." Reinette smiled, looking at Ross.

Ross continued to look at Reinette suspiciously "What did you see?"

Reinette stepped closer to Ross "That there comes a time, Time Lord, when every lonely little boy must learn how to dance." She smiled again, taking Ross's hand and leading him away.

Ratliff started to stir, after being injected by whatever the clockwork men and women had injected him with. He was hoping to wake up on the floor from where he had collapsed, but once he heard the loud ticking... all his hopes came crashing down onto him. He slowly began to focus on one of the clockwork droid staring down at him "What's going on?" Ratliff asked "Ross!" Ratliff called, hoping he was about somewhere.

Ratliff tried to escape, but soon realised that he had been manacled onto some sort of operating table which had been tilted at a sharp angle. He looked over to see Ryan on the other side of the room in same situation. "Ratliff, what are they gonna do? Chop us up?" Ryan asked, scared "Just like the crew- OH MY GOD! They're gonna chop us up and stuck us all over their stupid spaceship! And where's Ross? Where's precious Ross now? He's been gone for flipping hours! That's where he is!" Ryan wailed about, starting to panic and freak out. Obviously using Ratliff's feelings against him, even though he had no need to. Ratliff just looked over to Ryan as best as he could wondering what the hell he was going on about.

The droid stepped before Ratliff "You are compatible."

Ratliff thought of something to try stall for more time before the droid decided to cut him up into pieces "Well.. you... you might wanna think about that. You really, really might because.. me and Ryan.. we didn't come here alone, oh no! And trust me - you wouldn't wanna mess with out designated driver."

The droid thrusted a sharp and lethal looking took in front of Ratliff's face. Ratliff stared at the sharp tool apprehensively. "Ever heard of the Dalek's?" Ratliff asked, stalling for more time by bringing up all the Dalek stories Ross had ever told him on a late night when they were alone and Ryan was asleep and they had nothing else better to do "remember them? They had a name for our friend. They had myths about him, and a name. They called him-"

Ratliff was cut off by a noise in the distance. It wasn't a kind of good noise, oh no. It was the sound of someone coming down the corridor singing drunkenly as they made loud bangs coming up the corridor "I could've danced all night, I could've danced all night..." the person sang in their drunken state. Guess who it was?

None other than.. Ross.

Ratliff sighed, shutting his eyes, but re-opened them to continue in stalling, but kept on being interrupted by Ross's painful drunken singing and loud banging noises he was making on the floor and the wall as he walked, he was distracted by it "They called him- they called him R- the-"

Ross then staggered into the room, dancing with an imaginary partner, wearing a pair of sunglasses and a tie tied around his head with a glass of wine in his hand as he continued to sing and dance around drunk "And still have begged for moooore... I could've spread my wings and done a thou-" Ross stopped singing and immediately started talking again, drunk "have you met the French?!"

Ryan looked over to Ross, staring at him bemused by his drunkenness. "My... GOD, they know how to party!"

Ratliff sighed, not amused in the slightest, speaking sarcastically "Oh, look at what the cat dragged in. The Oncoming Storm."

Ross spoke to Ratliff distastefully "Oh, you sound just like your sister." He'd met Jenna enough times to know that.

"What have you been doing?!" Ratliff asked, crossly "Where've you been?!"

Ross lent against one of the control panels, looking at Ratliff who was still tied up "Well... among other things, I think I just invented the banana daiquiri a few centuries early.."

Ratliff sighed heavily and lied back exasperated. "Do you know, they've never even seen a banana before!" Ross then got from where he was and lent over Ratliff "Always take banana to a party Ratliff. Banana's are GOOD." Ross said sincerely.

As if it had took him a century of his own, he looked and saw the droid's that were standing around the room and became absolutely delighted "Oh ho, ho, ho, ho, brilliant. It's you! You're my favourite, you are, you are the best! Do you know why? Cause you're so THICK. You're Mister, thick, thick, thickity, thick face from Thicktown, Thickania," Ross stopped, before having an afterthought to say to the droid "and so's your Dad!"

Ross then casually strolled away from the droid's, staggering a little "Do you know what they were scanning Reinette's brain for?" Ross sniggered "Her milometer. They wanna know how old she is. Know why? Cause this ship is thirty-seven years old. And they think that when Reinette is thirty-seven , when she's 'complete', then her brain will be compatible, so, that's what you're missing, isn't it?" Ross just stared at one of the droid's mockingly in the face "Hmm? Command circuit. Your computer. Your ship needs a brain. And for some reason - God knows why - only the brain of Madame De Pompadour will do."

"The brain is compatible." The droid said, who was stood over Ratliff with his blade.

"Compatible?" Ross asked, he then approached the droid "if you believe that, you probably believe this is a glass of wine." Ross removed the droid's mask and poured the wine into the clockwork inside the head of the droid. He then replaced the mask back onto it's head and patted it. The droid wound down and Ratliff sighed in relief.

"Multigrain anti-oil," Ross said, suddenly becoming sober "If it moves, it doesn't."

A droid that was stood on the other side of the room started to advance on Ross, but before it could reach him, Ross quickly deactivated it by using a nearby lever. "Right, you two, that's enough lying about..." he quickly released Ratliff and Ryan with the sonic screwdriver. Both of them slide down off the tables and onto the floor. "Time we got the rest of the ship shut off."

"Are those things safe?" Ryan asked.

Ross pulled the tie off his head as well as taking off the sunglasses he had on "Yeah. Safe. Safe and thick. Way I like them. Okay, all the time windows are controlled from here. I need to close them all down," He started to feel his pockets "Zeus plugs. Where are my Zeus plugs?" he searched around for them "I had them a minute ago, I was using them as castanets."

"Why didn't they just open a time window to when she was thirty-seven?" Ratliff asked.

"With the amount of damage to these circuits, they'll be lucky to hit the right century. Trial and error after that," Ross tried his best to operate the computer to try shut down all the windows "the windows aren't closing. Why won't they close?"

An ominous pinging sound could be heard somewhere, making Ratliff turn his head in different directions "What's that?" Ratliff asked.

"I don't know, incoming message?" Ross said over the clicking sounds.

"From who?" Ryan asked.

"Report from the field.. One of them must still be out there with Reinette! That's why I can't close the windows, there's an override!"

Behind Ross, one of the clockworks droid's sprung back to life with a whirring sound making Ratliff gasp. The droid expelled the "wine" Ross had poured into it's mechanics over Ross's shoe. Ross looked down where he could feel the wet sticky substances dripping through onto his foot "Well, that was a bit clever.." He said.

A few seconds later all of the droid's sprung into life, filling the room with the ticking noise. "Right.. many things about this are not god." Ross continued, looking around at all the droid's coming back to life. The pinging noise then sounded again "Message from one of your little friends? Anything interesting?" Ross asked.

"She is complete. It begins." One of the droid's said, making all of them teleport out.

"What's happening?" Ratliff asked as he watched the droid's teleport out.

"One of them must of found the right window, and now it's time to send in the troops. And this time they're bringing back her head." Ross explained to him.

Reinette looked into the fireplace from where she had met Ross, right now she was in a panic and waiting for him to come. The droid's had came as she could hear the screaming from outside in the ball room and all over her palace "Ross!" She screamed into the fireplace, hoping he would come soon.

"We must go. No one is coming to help us." King Louis XV said urgently from behind her.

Before Reinette could react, a droid appeared in the doorway. She stood up from where she was sat before memories flashed through her brain of the nightmare encounter she had, had with it as a child where she had first met Ross. Her eyes widened as two other droid's flanked with the first.

"You are complete. You will come." The clockwork man said.

Ross worked frantically as Ratliff and Ryan joined him at the time window where Reinette would be. "Found it then I'm taking it?" Ratliff asked.

"They knew I was coming, they blocked it off."

One of the droid's had Reinette by the arm dragging her into the ballroom, leading her roughly into it. "Where are we going?" She asked.

"The teleport has limited range. We must have proximity to the time portal."

"Your words mean nothing, you are nothing."

Ratliff stood looking through a time window into the ballroom where all the droid's had the guests held hostage, awaiting for Reinette to show up. He was just watching whilst Ross was trying to figure something out of how to get in there before it was too late. "I don't get it, how come they got in there?" Ratliff asked.

Ross started to explain whilst still working "They teleported - you saw them. As long as the ship and the ballroom are linked, their short-range teleports will do the trick."

"Well, we'll go in the TARDIS!"

"We can't use the TARDIS, we're part of events now."

Ryan walked up, looking through into the ballroom too "Well, can't we just smash through it."

"Hyperplex this side, plate glass the other," Ross weighed his arms, then dropped them giving Ryan a serious look "We need a truck."

"We don't have a truck.." Ryan said.

"I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A TRUCK!" Ross shouted.

"Well, we've gotta try something!" Ratliff said.

Ross shook his head "No, smash the glass, smash the time window, they'd be no way back." Ratliff didn't say anything, he just stared at Ross. He noticed him staring at him.

He knew what he had to do now.

"Can everyone just calm down? Please." Reinette asked as she was now in the ballroom and everyone had quieted down. "Such a commotion. Such a distressing noise. Kingly remember that this is Versailles. This is the Royal Court. And We are French," Reinette then turned round to face the droid's "I have made a decision. And my decision is 'no' - I shall not be going with you today. I have seen your world, and I have no desire to set foot there again."

"We do not require your feet."

Two droid's came up on either side of Reinette and pushed her down to her knees, pointing their maiming instruments at her neck. The 'Chief' droid approached her and also pointed his weapon at her, Reinette looked up to him "You think I fear you. But I do not fear you, even now. You are merely the nightmare from my childhood. The monster from under my bed. And if my nightmare can return to plague me, then rest assured-" she lowered her voice to a whisper "so will yours."

All of a sudden the sound of a horse whinnying could be heard in the distance. Reinette, the droid's and guests all turned their heads around looking for the source of the noise, which was followed by galloping hooves. After a few moments the horse leaped through the glass of a large mirror on the wall, Ross on it's back. The guests shrieked as this happened whereas Reinette's mouth just dropped open.

Ross winked at Reinette as he trotted past her on the horse, the horse than came to a halt so Ross could drop down from it. "Madame De Pompadour, you look younger everyday." He said, making Reinette smiled.

"What the hell is going on?" Louis asked.

"Oh," Reinette looked up to Ross "this is my lover, the King of France."

Ross spoke distastefully "Yeah? Well, I'm the Lord of Time," Ross turned around and approached the chief droid "And I'm here to fix the clock." Ross removed the mask of the clock, revealing the clockwork underneath, which elicited a gasp from the crowd. The droid pointed it's weapon at Ross "Forget it, it's over. For you and for me."

Ross glanced up to where the mirror once was, where all he saw was a brick wall. Which meant there was no way back to ship he had left Ryan and Ratliff on by themselves "Talk about seven years bad luck. Try three thousand.."

The droid cocked it's head so it looked up at the mirror.

On the spaceship, Ryan stared down stared down at the shards of broken glass and the interior of the spaceship where the time window use to be. Ratliff just stood before it. "What happened?" Ryan asked "Where did the time window go? How's he gonna get back?"

Ratliff just stayed still where he was, not answering Ryan's questions. He just stared down at the remains of the time window, letting a single tear escape from his eye just thinking about that he was never going to Ross ever again now. He was trapped in France. In a different time.

The droid tried to repeatedly use it's teleport to avail from where it was along with the others, but it didn't work. So it turned to Ross. "The link with the ship is broken. No way back. You don't have the parts. How many ticks left in that clockwork heart? A day? An hour? It's over. Accept that. I'm not winding you up."

Finally the clockwork men and women wound down, going dead. The other droid's followed and slumped forward, dead. One of the clockwork peopled ended up falling backwards, causing the clockwork to smash over the floor. The guests began to whisper while Ross held his hand out to Reinette. "You all right?" Ross asked.

Reinette nodded, taking his hands where she stood to her feet "What's happened to them?" He asked.

"They've stopped. They have no purpose now."

Ratliff didn't move from where he was stood, Ryan was just walking around looking at all the destroyed things from when Ross flew threw the mirror. Ryan sighed "We can't fly the TARDIS without him. How's he gonna get back?" Ryan asked.

Ratliff didn't answer, instead he raised his head and looked up at the stars that were over head outside of the spaceship.

Ross stood by a window in the palace, holding a glass of wine and looking up at the stars also. Which were the same ones Ratliff was looking at, though Ross didn't know that and neither did Ratliff.

Reinette came up behind Ross, also holding a glass of wine. She looked at him, seeing he was gazing at something out of the window so she followed his gaze and looked also "You know all their names, don't you? I saw that in your mind. The name of every star." She said.

"What's in a name? Names are just titles. Titles don't tell you anything." Ross told her, still not taking his gaze off the stars.

"Like 'Ross'."

"Like 'Madame De Pompadour'."

Reinette laughed "I have often wished to see those stars a little closer. Just as you have, I think."

"From time to time."

"In saving me, you trapped yourself. Did you know that would happened?" Reinette asked.

"Mm. Pretty much." Ross shrugged as if he didn't care, when he really did care.

"There were many doors between my world and yours, can you not use one of the others?" Reinette asked.

"When the mirror broke, the shock will have severed all the links with the ship. There'll be a few more broken mirrors and torn tapestries around here, I'm afraid. Wherever there was a time window. I'll- I'll, err... pay for any damage," Reinette laughed "Um.. oh, that's a thought, I'm gonna need money. I was always a bit vague about money. Where do you get money?" He asked.

"So, here you are. My lonely angel. Stuck on the slow path, with me."

"Yep the slow path," Ross grinned and held up his glass "Here's to the slow path."

Reinette laughed, both of them chinked their glasses together and sipped their wine. "It's a pity.. I think I would of enjoyed the slow path."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere." Ross sighed.

"Oh, aren't you?" Reinette set down her wind "take my hand."

Ross took her hand reluctantly, once his hand was in hers she lead him out of the room they were stood in. Soon they both entered Reinette's room and stood in the doorway. "It's not a copy. It's the original. I had it moved here and was exact in every detail." Reinette said.

"The fireplace..." Ross said, he walked slowly forward "The fireplace from your bedroom. When did you do this?"

"Many years ago. In the hope that a door once opened, may someday be opened again," They both smiled at each other "it appears undamaged, do you think it will still work?" Reinette asked.

"You broke the bond with the ship when you moved it. Which means it was off-line when the mirror broke. That's what saved it. But..." Ross moved closer to the fireplace "the link is basically physical, and it's still physically here."

Reinette watched Ross not saying anything, but with a hint of sadness in her eyes. Ross tapped the woodwork "Which might just mean, if I'm lucky... if I'm very, very, very, very, very, very lucky..." Ross found the spot on the fireplace he was looking for where he then started to beam "Aha!"

"What?"

"Loose connection!" he held up his sonic screwdriver to the 'loose connection'. "Need to get a man in!" Ross banged on the mantelpiece and began getting ready for the fireplace to turn. "Wish me luck!"

"No..."

Ross's grin faded from his face, but it was too late for him as the fireplace had already started to revolve round. As soon as he was on the other side of the fire place, he crouched down and looked through to the other side calling through the flames "Madame de Pompadour!" Ross called.

Reinette crouched down on the other side. "Still wanna see those stars?" Ross asked.

"More than anything."

"Give me two minutes. Pack a bag!"

"Am I going somewhere?" She asked.

"Go to the window, pick a star. Any star." Ross then stood up from the fireplace, dashing off to the TARDIS whilst Reinette rushed to the window and looked up at the night sky, breathless with anticipation.

Ross held Ratliff in a tight hug, as when he walked through he was immediately attacked with Ratliff in a hug. They'd been hugging for the past minute or so, making Ryan feel a little third wheel-ish. "How long did you wait?" Ross asked.

Ratliff was giddy with relief "Five and a half hours!"

Ross released him "Right, always wait five and a half hours." Ross went forward to go hug Ryan, but he changed his mind and just shook his hand instead.

"Where've you been?" Ratliff asked.

"Explain later. Into the TARDIS , with you in a sec." He said before he rushed off back to the fireplace. Ryan went into the TARDIS without hesitation, but Ratliff waited and watched Ross go back to where he had just gone.

"Reinette?" Ross called through the fireplace. Ross knelt before the flames of the fireplace, trying to see through "You there, Reinette?" HE asked. Ross stood up and triggered the fireplace, letting it revolve round back into Reinette's room. Ross found himself back in Reinette's room, but it was completely dark with no light. He stood still for a moment before wandering off into the hallway.

"Reinette?" Ross called.

In the halls there was nobody around the palace apart from Louis who was stood by the window, looking outside. "Oh, hello.." Ross said, walking up to him.

"You just missed her. She'll be in Paris by six." Louis said. The King turned his head and stared at Ross, he was awestruck "Good lord.. she was right. She said you never looked a day older," Ross raised his eye brows "so many years since I last saw you, yet not a day if it on your face."

Louis then walked over to a sideboard and opened up a drawer, taking out a letter. "She spoke of you many times.." Louis said.

Ross's smile faded as he started to understand what Louis was talking about. "She often wished you would visit again. You know how women are." Louis told him.

He held out the letter to Ross who took it and looked at the letter in his hands. The King was then distracted by the thrash of a whip, a neighing from outside and then the sound of hooves. He walked back over to the window. "There she goes.." Louis said.

Through the rain, King Louis watches the hearse carry Reinette's coffin away through the gates of the palace "Leaving Versailles for the last time. Only forty-three when she died."

Ross walked slowly up to the window behind the king to watch the hearse, his face was solemn with a pain that he couldn't quite hide. "Too young.." Louis continued "too young. Illness took her in the end. She always did work too hard."

Louis's eyes started to glisten with tears, he turned around and looked at Ross. "What does she say?" Louis asked.

Without a word said and without looking away from the window, Ross tucked the letter silently into his jacket pocket on the inside. "Of course. Quite right." Louis spoke.

After a few more moments of Ross looking out of the window to the coffin, he turned around and walked away slowly.

Ross shut the door of the TARDIS wearily behind him and walked slowly up to the console. "Why her?" Ratliff asked. He and Ryan were stood by the console (AKA the middle part of the TARDIS) "Why did they think they could fix the ship with the head of Madame de Pompadour?"

"We'll probably never know," Ross started to speak "there was a massive damage in the computer memory base. Probably got confused," he walked over to the controls "the TARDIS can close down the time windows now the droid's are gone. Should stop it causing anymore trouble."

He tapped on the computer, acting for the world as if everything was okay. Unfortunately for him Ratliff wasn't stupid and could tell something was wrong with him "Are you alright?" Ratliff asked, after a moment of watching him.

Ross looked up "I'm always alright." Ross smiled briefly, starting to fiddle with the controls again. Ratliff just continued to look at Ross, aware that he was keeping something to himself. Ryan looked from Ratliff and to Ross, realising Ross wanted to be alone by the way he was looking and acting "Come on, Ratliff. It's time you showed me around the rest of this place." Ryan said.

Ratliff was hesitant to leave Ross on his own for a moment, he glanced over his shoulder as he felt Ryan leading her from the console room to down below where the other rooms were. Ross continued to pretend to work at the computer for a few moments, he looked up and glanced around to make sure they were gone where he then slowly took out the letter from his pocket and carefully opened it.

_My Dear Ross,_

_The path has never seemed more slow, and yet I fear I am nearing its end. Reason tells me that you and I are unlikely to meet again. But I think I shall not listen to reason. I have seen the world inside your head, and know that all things are possible. Hurry though, my love. My days grow shorter now and I am so very weak. God speed, my lonely angel._

_Reinette_

_PS Like I had said when we met for the second time, I know your heart does not belong to me.. I know who it really belongs to after looking inside your mind. I won't breathe a word of it to anyone, you do not have to worry._

Ross smiled "Your good Reinette... I'll give you that.." He said to himself as he put the letter away back into it's unsealed envelope, tucking it away so nobody could find it. He sighed, looking back to the computer screen where the image of the fireplace was, taking one last look at it as it burned away. He then shut off the computer screen, turning it back to black.

It was about time they all went somewhere, where nothing tragic happened. Or where Ross didn't lose anybody who became important to him.

**Next Time: The Crystal Cave**

**Then: The Rise Of The Cyber Men**

**Later: The Satan Pit**

**After: Fear Her**

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**Hope you guys like this long ass'd chapter lol cx**

**Can I have 5 or more reviews if you want the next one seen as though FIVE people follow the story now?**

**5 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE.**


	7. The Crystal Cave

**Right, okay before I forget there's a link on my FanFiction profile under "Trailers & Intro's to my stories" or something like that and there is a link to a video. It is of the Character/Pairing/Friendship themes to this story so it can give you a sense of what that part of the story will be like, okay? **

_The crystals showing the future_

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**_The Crystal Cave_**

It had been days since they had last been anywhere in the TARDIS, all they would do was just travel around the vortex because Ross couldn't find a place to go. Apparently he was picking where he went more carefully now after what happened last time with Reinette and the clockwork men, Ratliff still never found out what was bothering, nor Ryan. That was until one day everyone was sleeping, but Ratliff wasn't. He was wondering around and ended up in the console where he walked around and found Ross's jacket sat on the chair that was there.

Being nice, Ratliff decided he would go put it somewhere out of the way for him when something fell out of his pocket from the inside. He picked it up and saw it was a letter, by the looks of it, it was from old tomes like the 1700's judging by the snapped in half big red sticker on the back. He pulled out the letter and read it. It was from Reinette. He frowned. She died? Least, that's what Ratliff's getting at and it would explain why Ross was acting the way he was when they left the ship a few days ago.

He went to go put it away when he saw there was another bit to the letter after where Reinette had signed her name. Something about how Ross's heart belonged to someone else and not her. Ratliff laugh, his heart? More like both hearts. So Ross did like someone after all? He's not trying to sound horrible or anything, but he and Ross have pretty much had some sort of relationship (friendship) and got close as friends why didn't he tell him? He sighed, putting the letter back into the inside of his jacket.

"You found it then."

Ratliff jumped after being startled, he looked up to see Ross up at the little top part of the TARDIS. If he'd of known Ross was there and watching he wouldn't of even bothered to of look at the letter "You scared me.." Ratliff said quietly, seen as though Ryan was sleeping somewhere, putting his hand on his chest.

Ross smiled, letting out a small laugh "That's what I was going for." Ross disappeared from the railings and sat down against he other railings of the wall against the TARDIS. Ratliff dropped Ross's jacket onto the chair, going over to the ladders to led up to where Ross was, joining him. He slowly sat down beside him "What are you doing up?" Ratliff asked "I thought you were asleep."

Ross shook his head "I couldn't sleep. Why are you up?" Ross asked, turning his head and looking at him.

"Same reason as you," He replied "except I was wondering around this whole place, seeing if there were any secret rooms I didn't know about to pass time, see if it made me sleepy. But it didn't, so I ended up, up here and.. here we are."

Silence fell over the both of them. This was like the fifth time in all the time they had been travelling in this thing together where they couldn't sleep and ended up being up late at night, at least Ratliff thinks it's night, talking about stuff and sharing stories about stuff. Though, it was more Ross than Ratliff as Ratliff's stories weren't as half as interesting as Ross's. It kind of made Ross happy he could share those type of stories with someone who would actually listen and not zone out about half way through, it was even better that Ratliff enjoyed them. He'd even told them about his past friends he had.

Ratliff looked at Ross in disbelief "Seriously, out of all the friends you've had travel with you.." Ratliff paused for a moment "you haven't had any sort of love affair, fling, friends with benefits with them?" Ratliff asked, Ross just shook his head as he gazed at Ratliff, Ratliff doing the same. Ratliff laughed "And they've all been girls apart from Riker?" Ratliff asked, as he now got off his ass and was now kneeling next to Ross, closer.

"No, I have had other boys travel with me."

"Tell me," Ratliff said, leaning into the rails "have any of your past friends fell in love with you? Or like you? Or had a crush on you?"

Ross gave Ratliff a funny look, but with a smile "Why are you asking me these things?" Ross asked.

"Because I'm interested okay, got a problem alien boy?"

"No I haven't, earth boy." Ross retorted back, making them both laugh. Ross coughed, to stop himself from laughing "But to answer your question.. a couple of them have, yet.. for some odd reason," Ross paused and frowned "I've never got the chance to react back to them telling me they did, for the ones that did love or like me in that way."

"Why not?"

Ross sighed "Because, it just seems that falling in love with me is the most dangerous thing you can do. Keep it to yourself, fine, great, fantastic, everything's perfect.. but once you tell me... it's like nothing wants me to react or them to have a chance. They either die, I never see them again or they just leave."

Ratliff frowned "Oh, I'm sorry," Ratliff said. He then smiled "Hey, if I ever fall in love you, I'll do my best not to die or leave you if I admit it to you."

Ross rolled his eyes, and laughed "Are you trying to tell me something there or what?" Ross asked, taking a drink out of the bottle of water he had next to him. Ratliff said nothing, Ross turned his head looking at him. He was making no emotion which kind of scared Ross a little bit "What..? why are you looking at me like that?" Ross asked.

Ratliff shook his head, snapping back into reality after going into a trance "I wasn't.. I mean.. erm... I didn't mean too," He paused, going to see that Ross was going to say something but he completely avoided the subject "so, Reinette. Her letter said you liked someone, care to share?"

"Nope."

"C'mon dude, sharing is caring."

"Yeah, when it comes to food."

Ratliff shoved Ross in his arm "Shut up and tell me." Ratliff said, in a kind of beg voice.

Ross chuckled and shook his head. Ratliff sighed "Fine." He looked down to the chair where Ross's jacket sat and then too the controls on the TARDIS "you know, I've seen the way you work the TARDIS... I bet I could get us to some place cool."

"Oh yeah, go on then, go for it. I bet we end up in a black hole."

Ratliff stood up, he walked over to the ladders and got half way down them, just so his head was peering over and looking at Ross "Na, I was thinking more eighteenth century France. There's some information I need to get off Madame De Pompadour." Ratliff grinned, immediately jumping off the ladders when he saw Ross jump off from where he was sat, charging towards Ratliff.

Before they knew it, it started a chase game around the TARDIS controls to try stop Ratliff from even attempting to go back to France back then. Ross tried coming around in the direction Ratliff was running, but it didn't work. As Ratliff ran round, he hit the buttons he'd seen Ross touch when they were going somewhere, he hit the buttons typing in a specific date each time he passed the computer. Then the TARDIS made a noise, signaling it was on the move to go to the date and place Ratliff had poorly attempted to type in.

Ratliff laughed, not seeing Ross charging at him "I did it! In yo face your not the only one who knows how to-" Ratliff was cut off when Ross rugby tackled him to the floor. Ratliff had his back on the floor whilst Ross was just laid on top of him in a hoop after rugby tackling him too the floor, which was the one thing Ross had never done to his friends in the past and he never quite understood why. But now he does.

Because it hurts like a bitch when you hit the floor. He couldn't imagine the pain Ratliff was feeling, seen as though he broke their fall. Ross looked up, using his arms to hold his weight "I'm sorry," Ross groaned "but.. looks like we're going to wherever you typed in.. cause you certainly didn't type in eighteenth century France."

Ratliff groaned. Ross then stood up from the floor, taking Ratliff's hands and pulling him up to the floor accidentally pulling him too close to him. "Whoa dude," Ratliff laughed "not that close.. we're not dancing together." not that he was complaining that he was that close to Ross.

Ross shrugged "We could for a laugh if you like. For a laugh. I think it'd be funny. Me and Riker did it, except.. I dropped him when I dipped him.."

Ratliff scoffed "Then you ain't dancing with me for a laugh of your gonna drop me, it was bad enough the rugby tackle."

Ratliff went to go walk away, not realising Ross still had hold of his hands. So when he tried to walk away Ross immediately pulled him back with force, bringing him into a dip. Surprisingly, not dropping him. Ross smiled down at him as he still had him in that dip "Now do you trust me?" Ross asked.

"Well this is weird," Ratliff said as he was being supported by Ross's arm and knee "is it bad I like this?" He asked.

Ross shook his head "Not really."

"Would you guys like some music to go along with that?"

Ross turned his head to where the voice came from, as for Ratliff he looked as best as he could as Ross hadn't yet let go of him. it was Ryan. Ryan just laughed "No, no, continue," Ryan said walking over with his phone "I think this could be funny. I'll even join in, shall I play some music? Where should I plug it in?" Ryan asked.

"Behind me." Ross said, seen as though he couldn't point other wise he would drop Ratliff.

Ryan walked over to where Ross flung his head in the direction, Ryan picked a dancy, funny song they could easily take the piss out by dancing in pairs together with it. It started playing. Ross turned his head, giving Ryan a funny look "Grease?" Ross asked.

"Really dude?" Ratliff asked, even though it was too late as the song 'Your The One That I Want' started blasting through the entire TARDIS.

"Hey dude, this is your phone.." Ryan said.

Ross looked down at Ratliff and raised his eyebrows. Ratliff kept a straight face "Judge me." Ratliff simply said.

"Also.. it suits your situation with each other." Ryan added.

"When I get out of this position I'm gonna kill you." Ratliff said, bending his head forward down his chest looking directly at Ryan.

"C'mon dance! Have fun!" Ryan clapped, sitting down to watch.

Ross then immediately brought Ratliff back up to his feet straight, starting to do stupid dance moves around him around the TARDIS. Well attempting, as Ratliff wasn't really all that into it "Really dude?" Ratliff asked, as Ross spun him way too quickly under arm.

"Oh c'mon Ratliff, do you know what fun is or do I have to teach you?" Ross teased.

Ratliff's mouth dropped open "I can too have fun."

"Then c'mon!" Ross pulled him back into dancing, taking him around the middle part of the TARDIS a couple of times, doing the random dance moves couples would always dance around too.

Ryan laughed/smiled watching them as they were having their fun, if he was honest...Ryan had thought that they had both forgot Ryan was even there. Something that they seemed to do a lot around each other lately, sometimes Ryan would think about what the point was about him even being around when all they're both doing is acting and being in love with each other and they don't even know it or are too blind to see it.

That's it. Ryan said it. Well thought it. It was true, Ryan had seen love between two people before, they had met as strangers as kids, got together as teens and are still together to this day. Yes, Ross and Ratliff had only known each other for about 2 months and half, but still. He could see it in their eyes when they looked at each other, the way they acted.. Ryan had even caught Ratliff in a day dream and he said he was thinking about someone, and because Ratliff didn't want to tell him. Ryan told him to describe what he was like.

Long story short he had pretty much described Ross.

Still, Ryan thought it was sweet. Ratliff was never this happy when he was with Emily, not one bit in the slightest. He never looked at her the way he was looking at Ross right now as Ross had just spun him out and back into his arms. Ryan shook his head, he really wished he could of recorded this, but his phone was plugged into the TARDIS. But that was when he remembered it was Ratliff's phone he had plugged into the TARDIS and not his own, as it was sitting right into his pocket. He sneakily pulled it out and started to record the whole thing, after he was definitely going to send it to Ratliff's phone.

Ross spun Ratliff under his arm, smiling and laughing the same as Ratliff was doing, before he decided to dip him again. He did it quickly, "See, didn't drop you." Ross said. He then brought him back up, letting him stand on his own as he walked over to Ryan "I believe it is your turn?" Ross asked, looking down at him, knowing Ryan was recording, but he didn't care.

Ryan shook his head "Naa, you two looked like you were having more fun."

Ross took Ryan's phone from him and chucked it at Ratliff "Ratliff, record. He was recording us." Ross then pulled up Ryan from his seat as it was half way through the song. Ryan whimpered as Ratliff recorded and next thing he knew he was being twisted, spun, dipped and threw all over the place. But he wasn't going to lie it was fun.

All of a sudden the TARDIS shook and all three of them went flying to the floor, Ryan on top of Ross. Ryan looked around and down at Ross "A little intimate don't ya think?" Ryan asked. Causing Ross to push Ryan off him harshly.

He got up from the floor and walked over, taking Ratliff's phone off the TARDIS and chucking it at him "C'mon, looks like we're at wherever Ratliff sent us to go." Ross said, as he walked over to the door.

Ryan and Ratliff followed, Ross opened the door where they found themselves in the woods outside of the entrance to a cave. "Oh well done Ratliff," Ryan said "a cave. Aren't you magnificent?" Ryan asked.

"Where are we? Are we home on Earth?" Ratliff asked, turning to Ross.

Ross shrugged "I don't know."

"Guys," Ryan gasped "the cave's glowing on the inside..."

"Ryan don't-" before Ross could finish off, Ryan had already ran inside of the cave away from the two of them. Ross sighed and followed him along with Ratliff behind.

They ran into the cave as they did, following Ryan, the light blue light that was in the cave started getting brighter and brighter. Once Ryan turned the corner, they had feared they had both lost him. But they found him, staring. They wondered what at first but were amazed when they saw about a million crystal's in the cave. Well, Ryan and Ratliff were amazed. Ross wasn't. In fact he was a little bit panicky.

"Guys, please.. do not look at the crystals, whatever you do.." Ross warned.

"Why not?" Ryan asked, trying to resist looking at them.

"Because, just don't, I'm begging and warning you. It shows the future and you won't like it one bit, I don't want you guys to get scared by it because it's happened before. I've been here before, now come on we need to leave."

_"I made my choice a long time ago and I'm never gonna leave you."_

Ratliff twisted and turned his head as he could of sworn he just heard his own voice speaking somewhere "What the.. that was me," Ratliff said "that was definitely me, now where the hell did that come from? Did you two hear it?"

Ryan nodded. Ross nodded also "Yes, now c'mon... please.. let's leave.."

_"This world already lost it's Ryan, so it's only right I stay."_

"That was me!" Ryan said, turning his head, stepping deeper into the caves.

Ross sighed, running his hands through his hair. He really didn't know why he bothered giving Ratliff and Ryan simple instructions to follow. They never bloody listened to him. He sighed heavily, watching as Ryan and Ratliff were looking for where their voices had came from and what crystal. He felt like smashing his head off a wall that much he actually did a little spin when his eyes landed on one crystal.

He couldn't help but stare at it in horror, he knows he told Ryan and Ratliff not to look at the crystals but this was by accident. He couldn't help but look at it. It wasn't his future.. oh no.. it was someone else's.

Ratliff saw Ross was attracted to one crystal so he started walking over when Ross just snapped "Ratliff.. stay where you are, do not come anywhere near this crystal.." Ross said, still looking at it, but putting his hand up like a stop sign to Ratliff.

"Why?"

"Just trust me Ratliff, for the sake of yourself just do not look at this crystal."

Ryan slowly walked over from where he was stood and looked at the crystal was staring at and getting so defensive over. Ryan gasped "Oh my god..." he looked to Ratliff.

"Guys.. what is it your scaring me..."

Both of them went to go say something when they were cut off by something, it was someone else's voice coming from the crystals.

_"Oi! Watch it space man!"_

_"Oi! Watch it earth girl!"_

Ryan and Ratliff turned towards Ross, looking at him confused for a moment and let out a small laugh. Yes, Ross obviously wasn't with them at that moment because more than likely they were elsewhere doing their own thing but they will admit that whoever the girl was that said that has some serious sass against Ross.

_"RATLIFF!"_ that time it was Ross screaming Ratliff's name, not in a kind of 'oh my god your here' kind of way.. more of a deathly, pained way as if something bad was happening to Ratliff and Ross couldn't stop it. Then came Ratliff's yell or cry or scream, it was a death scream. Anybody could tell from the sound of it. Even Ryan could, and let's face it.. Ryan's not exactly the brightest person in the world.

All of them looked at each other confused, panicked or scared. Ratliff was mainly scared as Ross wouldn't let him go near the crystal he was stood at, he'd heard Ross calling out Ratliff's name screaming it and now he'd just heard him screaming as if death was running straight at him.

His eyes widened, he looked to Ross "I-I'm gonna die aren't I?" Ratliff asked, stuttering. Ross didn't say anything he just stayed silent "I am aren't I? Oh my god.."

"No," Ross shook his head "your not going to die Ratliff calm down. I won't let you see this crystal because of who's on it.. You'll freak out. I don't know what them other things were from. They could be from something different."

_"Ross said every time you use one of these, it damages the Earth now. That's. It."_

_"He's your little brother, Matty!"_

_"No, he's your brother not mine!"_

Ratliff turned his head to the crystal it had came from, he walked over to it and looked. He knew that was Jenna's voice, but it was the name she said at the end. Matty. Matty was the name of his older brother.. the one who died when he was twelve. Why would Jenna be talking to him for? He looked onto the crystal to see Jenna with.. Matty. His eyes widened even more, by the looks of it they were arguing over something about whether or not to go back somewhere.

_"The valiant child, who will die in battle.. so very soon."_

"That wasn't us.." Ryan said.

"No," Ross said as he was looking at another crystal with a red horrible looking beast on it "it wasn't.. that's not even part of any of our futures. Yes, the beast is there and your there Ratliff, but it's not talking to you.. it's talking to the guy next to you."

Ratliff sighed with relief, the most relief he had felt ever since he stepped foot into the cave. Ross turned to them "Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that all this future things on these crystals are like 10 percent right, so it's more than likely all of these were wrong," Ross told them with a smile "maybe about from 1 or 2... but definitely not all of them. The only ones that are definitely true are the ones you can only hear in your mind and nobody else can hear."

"You couldn't of told us sooner?!" Ratliff asked, raising his voice "I was having about a million heart attacks there because I thought I was going to die and then you tell us this. Dude, next time a little heads up."

Ross laughed "Sorry," He said "now come on. Lets get going before we have some sort of trauma we don't wanna experience." they all made their way away from the caves to get back to the TARDIS.

_"Take me back! TAKE ME-E-E B-BA-ACK!... take me ba-a-ack.."_

Ryan turned to Ratliff "Dude, I have never heard you cry so hard in your life. Or better yet.. at all."

"Huh?" Ratliff asked, confused as he and Ross stopped walking as well as Ryan.

"Didn't you hear it? You were cryi- Oh no.." Ryan's eyes widened when he remembered what Ross had said about 20 seconds ago.

"Why was I crying?" Ratliff asked.

Ryan shrugged "I don't know," Ryan said "you were screaming, like.. proper screaming and crying badly, you were hitting something as well screaming to 'take you back'. I don't know where though.. I only heard."

Ratliff looked at Ross, waiting for an answer. Ross just shrugged "I don't know," He said "I'm being honest. It could be anything."

"But, I want to know now why I was being like that? I'd rather know now so I can try prevent it from happening."

"I'm sorry Ratliff, I can't tell you. I don't know myself."

Ratliff sighed, looking away from Ross and running his hand through his hair when Ross wrapped his arms around Ratliff and hugged him to him close and tight.

"Only time can tell what will happen, and for now I think it's best we all don't know."

**Next: The Cyber Men**

* * *

**I was just wondering if MORE of you could review on this story because it REALLY feels like nobody reads this story and this is one of the very few stories that I've written I am actually going to feel proud of doing and writing. Like, the people who follow this story.. only about 2 or 3 of them are reviewing and I appreciate the ones who AREN'T following and still reviewing like.. thank you. Even if your a guest account reading and don't have an account just review, please? literally.. you have no idea how much it feels like nobody reads this story. Even the people who I tag on Twitter don't even review, I know they read it.. Well I know one of them reads it (Keely) bc she RT's ever time I send her it. Just yeah.. It's not very often I feel proud of something I create and write. And I'm not writing this just to get reviews, I'm being serious. Everything that I write doesn't feel good enough for me, but when people review and tell me what they think it makes me feel like I'm doing something good, you know? Even though after it's finished or when I'm still writing it.. I still don't feel proud of it.**

**Okay, bye.**

**Review if you want me to continue.**


	8. The Parallel World

_**The Parallel World**_

Ross, Ratliff and Ryan were all sat in the TARDIS, it had been at least about 3 or 4 visits from when they were last at The Crystal Cave. Lucky for them it had completely slipped from their minds, mainly because Ross tried to make them as happy as possible and forget it all. He succeeded. He didn't want to bring it up again unless it triggered something with the two of them, Ratliff seemed hysterical about it as it was after Ryan had heard him crying in his mind. To be honest, Ross doesn't get scared that easily... but he was scared by what Ryan had heard. Ross has known Ratliff for almost a year now, and he has never cried at all in the slightest. Not unless it was something very, VERY serious or it hurt him really, REALLY bad.

But anyway, Ross and Ratliff were both slumped on the chair in the TARDIS next to each other while Ryan was stood by the console as Ross and Ratliff were relating a story to Ryan. Ross spoke enthusiastically about the story "And that weird munchkin lady with the big eyes? Do you remember? - the way she looked at you! And then she opens her mouth and fire comes out!"

"I thought I was gonna get frazzled!" Ratliff laughed, almost to the point where he couldn't breathe and felt like his ribs were about to burst.

Ross nodded, laughing along with him "Yeah! One minute she's standing there, and the next minute - rawwwh!" he and Ratliff mimicked fire coming out of their moves, killing themselves laughing.

Ryan just stood there nodding and smiling, not quite following what they were going on about. He knows he's been with Ross just as long as Ratliff has, but some days they would just disappear out of the TARDIS together and forget about Ryan all together so it was just him sat in the TARDIS all by himself locked in it for the rest of the day or night. Wherever they were.

This was why Ryan was considering going back home.

"Yeah... where- where was that, then? What happened?" Ryan asked.

Ross looked at Ryan, stopping his laughing remembering Ryan hadn't joined them when they did that. He locked himself in the TARDIS all day. Something Ryan would tend to do a lot lately "Oh, it was on this um... uh, this uh... planet, thing, asteroid. It's a long story, you had to be there. Um... what are you doing that for?" Ross asked, seeing Ryan had his finger on a button on the console.

Ryan looked down to where his finger was pressing on a button on the console, he looked at Ross confused "Because you told me too.." He said.

Ross blinked "When was that?"

"About half an hour ago..."

"Um, you can let go now."

Ryan let go of the button, which the Ratliff sniggered. "Well, how long's it been since I could of stopped?" He asked.

"Ten minutes? Twenty.. Twenty nine...?"

"You just for got me!" Ryan snapped, indignantly.

"No, no, no, no! I was just- I was just.. I was calibrating. I just.. no, I know exactly what I'm doing." Ross said, trying to cover up the fact he had actually forgot Ryan was there, but he was failing miserably. He didn't mean to forget about him, he's just so quiet all the time. Technically it's not his fault, maybe if he was a little bit louder.

All of a sudden, before Ryan could interpret on it, the TARDIS console just exploded violently, throwing them all off the chair and off their feet to the ground. Sparks and flames started to fly all over the place, the TARDIS shook violently as they all tried to get back onto their feet but ended up falling back onto the floor.

Ross did his best to scramble to his feet, he eventually did where he frantically tried to operate the console of the TARDIS. Ratliff also did his best to stand up, but ended up crashing back into the rails "WHAT'S HAPPENED?!" He shouted, over the violent crash noises.

Ross looked at the screen confused "The vortex is gone! That's impossible - it's just gone!"

The TARDIS started to fall vertically through the flames, very fast. "We're gonna crash! Hold on!" Ross yelled, jumping to hold onto something.

Before they could grab onto anything, the TARDIS crashed harshly to the ground, or wherever they had landed, causing Ross, Ratliff and Ryan to be thrown backwards violently. Gas masks fell from the top of the ceiling of the TARDIS as the lights went out on the TARDIS, making it very dark and almost impossible to see.

"Everyone alright?" Ross asked, kneeling on the floor "Ratliff? Ryan?"

Ryan laid on the floor of the other side of the console from where Ross and Ratliff were "I'm fine. I'm okay, sorry."

All of them stood from the ground slowly in case the TARDIS decided it wanted to do anything else. Ross looked up at the rotor and the console "She's dead.." Ross said, as there was a clicking sound as the engines cooled down. Smoke raised from the console. "The TARDIS is dead.." He whispered, walking slowly around the console.

"You can fix it?" Ratliff asked, with hope. He didn't fancy being stuck out in the middle of nowhere of space and dying there.

"There's nothing to fix she's perished." Ross then started to pull a lever back and forth fruitlessly "The last TARDIS in the universe.. extinct."

"We can get help though.. can't we?"

Ross gave Ratliff a look as if he was a complete idiot, in which he was in this moment "Where from? Cause if you can think of somewhere, please let me know."

"Well, we've landed - we've gotta be somewhere."

"We fell out of the vortex, through the void, into nothingness. We're in some sort of no-place... the silent realm... the lost dimension-"

Ryan looked over to Ross, grinning from the door "Also known as London." Ryan laughed and waked out of the door to look, Ratliff and Ross walked out following him as they walked into 21st century London.

"London, England, Earth-" Ryan stopped when he saw something a little distance away from where he was stood in the dustbin. He jumped down off the lower wall, walking over to it and picking it up to check what date they were in "First of February this year - not exactly far-flung, is it?"

Ratliff then jumped down from the wall and looked over Ryan's shoulder before he lifted his head, twisting and turning it to find some sort of stranger to see if they could help. Ross then jumped down off the wall and looked around also "So.. this is London.." Ross said, Ryan nodded "your city.."

"That's the one."

"Just as we left it?" Ross asked, looking to Ryan as Ratliff was still looking around at passing things.

"Pretty much,yeah." Ryan said, tossing the newspaper into the bin.

Ratliff turned around and walked back to them, at least they were home they should be thankful for that right? "Should we ask someone whereabouts in London we are?" Ratliff asked.

Ross nodded "Sure," Ross looked around, seeing there was a guy about 20 years old coming towards them. He looked familiar. Ross looked at Ratliff, and at the guy. Some how he could see some sort of resemblance "ask him."

Ratliff then jumped out in the middle of the oncoming guys path "Hey, could you help me?" Ratliff asked. The guy gave Ratliff a strange look at how he had just randomly jumped out in front of him "Sorry, me and my friends.. we're lost. I was wondering whereabouts in London we were, that'd help us tones by the way."

The guys laughed "Well, Big Ben is behind you..."

Ratliff turned around, seeing the big clock stood there. He turned to the guy "Never noticed that.. wow.. anyway, thanks for that.."

Before Ratliff got a chance to walk away, the guy stopped him by talking to him "Sorry, but.. do I know you?" He asked.

Ratliff turned around, looking the guy up and down seeing if he recognised him, himself. He wasn't gonna lie, he did look VERY familiar to Ratliff himself. He folded his arms "I don't know, do I?" Ratliff asked "what's your name?"

"Matty Ratliff."

"E-excuse me?" Ratliff asked, his mouth almost dropped open. Matty Ratliff? As in.. his brother Matty who died when he was 12? "A-are you sure..? D-do you have any relatives? Like.. siblings."

"Oh yeah," Matty smiled "I had a little sister. I did have a little brother.. but.. I um.. they..." Matty started to frown a little bit. He sighed and smiled "but they died when they were 8 and 10... Got into a nasty car crash. Called Ellington and Jenna Ratliff they were. What's your name?"

"I'm er.. my friends call me Ratliff," Ratliff said, his voice breaking and cracking a little bit with sadness. "So.. just.. yeah."

Matty nodded and smiled "Ratliff, taking it it's your last name?" Matty asked, Ratliff just nodded not even bothering to reply that time. "Awesome, hope I see you a little bit more." he gave Ratliff a small nudge on the arm before walking away quickly.

Ratliff just stood there in complete. Ross walked over to him and placed his hand on his shoulder "Well.. I can promise you now, that we're in that Parallel World I wouldn't you go to with Ryan.. that's why Matty's here."

Ryan smiled "Alright! Parallel World!"

"Hey!" Ross turned around, pointing his finger at Ryan "Don't get so happy about being here Ryan, there are so many things that could go wrong! And if we don't hurry up and figure away out of here you two are going to be classed as dead and be put on The List Of The Dead. That... and you'll more than likely be trapped here forever if we don't hurry up."

Ryan's eyes widened "I don't wanna be trapped in a Parallel World.. Oh hell no, I don't know about you Ratliff, but I wanna get out of here. I don't to live in a Parallel world, I'd rather be at home. AKA normal Earth.. not some creepy Earth."

Ryan and Ross waited for Ratliff's response, but he didn't respond. He just stared blankly watching Matty as he slowly walked off. "Ratliff?" Ross asked.

"Matty wait up!" Ratliff called, taking off on his feet going up to him.

"Ratliff no!" Ross called, chasing after him. Ryan sighed, knowing himself he was going to have to go after them both so he did.

Matty turned around at the call of his name, he turned around to find Ratliff and his two friends chasing after him. He waited as Ratliff caught up to him. Ratliff caught his breath as he stood before his brother "Your brother and sister? They're dead?" Ratliff asked, Matty nodded. "D-do you mind taking me to their gra-"

Ross put his hand over Ratliff's mouth, cutting him off as well as putting an arm around him to drag him away from Matty "Sorry about this Matty," Ross smiled "he's on day release and doesn't know what he's talking about."

"WHAT?!" Ratliff shouted, coming out muffled with Ross's hand over his mouth. Day release? Seriously?

Matty nodded "Clearly." He laughed. "Well, if you ever wanna talk to me I'm always at this place called Torchwood in Canary Wharf. Reason why I'm in London is because I have the whole week off to myself.. and I thought I'd go visit Jenna and Ratliff, if you know what I mean," Matty then paused. He thought for a moment and looked at Ratliff "wait a minute.. your called Ratliff... I called my little brother Ratliff because he hated Ellington.." He took a step closer to Ratliff "uncover his mouth." He demanded to Ross.

Ross reluctantly took his hand away from Ross's mouth and took a step back. Ratliff glared at Ross and looked back at Matty. "What's your full name?" Matty asked.

"E-Ellington Lee Ratliff.."

Matty's eyes widened "No, you can't be.."

"Well you best believe it," Ratliff told him "because in my world, where I'm from, your dead. Me and Jenna are alive.. your the one who died in the car crash. Not me and Jenna."

Matty looked at Ratliff for a moment with happy eyes, when he shook his head looking at Ratliff with with agitated eyes "Is this some kind of sick joke?" Matty asked "did Ryan put you up to this?"

"What?" Ryan and Ratliff asked at the same time, Ryan shocked because Matty knew his name and who was and Ratliff more saddened at the fact he didn't believe him.

Ratliff shook his head "No, no, I'm not lying to you, I swear," Ratliff said "see my blonde friend there? He's a time lord and his little time machine crashed here in this world instead of my Earth. This is your Earth and my Earth is a Parallel one to yours, but in my Earth this is a Parallel world to me... Please, you have to believe me I wouldn't lie to you."

Matty shook his head "No..." Matty turned around and stopped. He then looked at Ryan "Ryan, come on let's go. I don't even know why your with these two. Come when your ready." He turned around and proceed to leave, faster than he was before.

"Is nobody gonna ask how he knows me?!" Ryan asked, looking at Ross and then Ratliff.

Ross turned around "Because, in this world.. You are here too."

"Then what does that mean?"

Ross sighed "It means that either you or the other you is close to death and one of you is going to die, there I said it."

Ryan's eyes widened "No! I can't die! Ross, no, you can't let me-" Ryan then stopped, remembering what he had heard in the Crystal Cave.

_"This world already lost it's Ryan, so it's only right if I stay." _

Ryan looked at Ross with a glare, stepping closer to him "Oh my god... what I heard myself say.. that's going to come true.. it's not me who's going to die... it's the Ryan in this world and I'm gonna make the choice to stay.. aren't I?" Ryan asked. Ross didn't say anything to Ryan, he just stayed there silent not breathing a word. He didn't know that it was going to come true, because from this perspective it does look like that is going to come to pass. But he was almost certain that when your in the Crystal Cave and you hear the future in your head, it's going to come true, but if everyone else hears it it's false. Ryan got impatient waiting and shoved Ross "Tell me." He snapped.

Ross shrugged "I don't know, okay? Yes, maybe. But not yet, lets not worry about that for now." He turned around to face Ratliff who still had his back to him, watching as Matty kept on running off from them all. He walked over to Ratliff and put his hand on his shoulder "C'mon, let him go... He doesn't know anything about time travel or Parallel universes. Just because he works at Torchwood, doesn't mean he knows anything about this sort of stuff. Just remember that okay?"

Ratliff nodded, looking to Ross and giving him a slight smile, obviously fake "Your right, I shouldn't of done that." He then wrapped his arms around Ross and hugged him, Ross hugged back.

Ryan just rolled his eyes and sighed, he was getting real sick of Ross focusing more on Ratliff than anything else in the world. No wonder he chooses to leave them and stay in the Parallel world, they drove him too it. He then just slumped down on the bench. Ratliff pulled away from the hug and slowly walked over to the bench, sitting down next to Ryan. In which Ryan had so many things he could say to him right then but he chose not to, he chose to calm himself down as his anger was getting the better of him. "Right," Ross said "I'm gonna go try to figure something out for the TARDIS, just wait here okay. Ryan, keep an eye on him." Ross then went down to where the TARDIS was and entered it.

About 20 minutes had passed, Ross was still going through the TARDIS to find something to get it jump started again or bring it back to life but nothing seemed to be working, it was bad enough the whole thing was pitch black on the inside. He was growing so angry and agitated he felt like punching something or someone. He was busy focusing when he heard the TARDIS door open, he looked up expecting to see Ryan and Ratliff, but instead he saw Ryan.. by himself. Ross started rounding on Ryan "I told you to keep an eye on him!" Ross said, angrily.

"She's all right-" Ryan spoke dismissively, but being cut off by Ross of course freaking out over Ratliff and everything else that was going on right now. Maybe he picked a wrong time to come see Ross and if he was okay.

"He goes wandering off - Parallel world, it's like a giant gingerbread house! All those temptations calling out!" Ross started yelling, not calming down his anger. He didn't mean to be snapping like this he just doesn't want Ratliff and Ryan getting trapped in a Parallel World with no escape out of it. Then what would Ross do? Feel guilty? He's never got any of his last friends stuck in a Parallel world and he wasn't about to start now, especially when he's in one.

Even if they did get trapped in one, he wasn't going to make it his fault, even though he would entirely blame himself either way.

Ryan rolled his eyes, once again getting fed up with Ross freaking about Ratliff "Oh, so just Ratliff then? Nothing out there to tempt me?"

"Oh, I don't know Ryan, I can't worry about everything," Ross snapped "If I could just get this thing to-" Ross never finished off the sentence as he kicked the TARDIS console hard in his frustration, even though he knew it wouldn't do anything, before he walked over to the chair scowling.

"Did that help?" Ryan asked, following him.

"Yes."

"Did that hurt?"

"Yes.. Ow.." Ross sat down on the chair and rubbed his foot after kicking the console, now wishing he didn't do it. "We;re not mean to be here," Ross started to speak, uncomfortably "the TARDIS draws it's power off the universe, but it's the wrong universe. It's like diesel in a petrol engine."

Ryan sat down next to Ross "But.. I've seen it in comics. People are hopping from one alternative world to another - it's easy."

Ross gave Ryan a withering look "Not in the real world sunshine," Ross paused for a second to think. "Used to be easy. When the Time Lords kept their eye on everything, you could hop between realities, home in time for dinner. Then they died, took it all with them. The walls of reality closed, the worlds were sealed. Everything became that bit less kind."

"Then how did we get here if the parallel world is sealed off?"

"I don't know. Accident?" Ross said, weary "should've been impossible. Now we're trapped.. which is something I didn't want. This is why I didn't want us to come to a parallel world. Once your here.. you here forever. No way out."

A short hopeless silence fell over the two boys, sitting thinking now that they were trapped they were going to be classed as dead to the other world. Well, Ross wouldn't. He had nobody important on the Earth that wasn't parallel but Jenna and Maia. He sighed, Maia used to be an old friend he travelled with a long time ago. They got on well, shame he's never seen her since. Now he'll never see her again.

"What's that?" Ross asked, spotting a small green light glowing beneath the console.

"What?"

"That there! Is that a reflection?" Ross asked, pointing to it.

Ryan and Ross looked at it, realising it wasn't a reflection where they then bent down to the floor and took a closer look at it. "It's a light! Is that a light? I think that's a light! That's all we need !" Ross said, starting to get excited that there could be hope of them getting out of this parallel world. Both of them removed the grilling to the floor so Ross could get down to it "We've got power! Ryan, we've got power! HA!"

Around 10 minutes later, Ross found himself right underneath the console and pulling at some important looking internals of the TARDIS. Least through Ryan's eyes they looked important. "It's alive!" Ross called from underneath the console, deliriously happy.

"What is it?" Ryan asked, standing at the edge of the grill where they had removed it some moments ago.

"It's nothing. It's tiny. One of the insignificant little power cells that no one ever bothers about, and it's clinging onto life. But with one little ounce of reality tucked away inside."

"Enough to get us home?" Ryan asked, hopeful.

"Not yet."

Ross picked up the power cell from under the console, sitting back on the small set of stairs underneath the grilling. "I need to charge it up." Ross held it carefully, cupped in both of his hands.

"We could go outside and latch it up to the national grid!"

Ross looked up to Ryan "Wrong sort of energy it has to come from our universe."

"But we don't have anything."

"There's me..." Ross looked back down to the power cell in his hands where he gently blew on it, after the power cell glowed bright green. Making Ross beam.

"I just gave away 10 years of my life," Ross said, looking at the now bright glowing power cell "worth ever single second." He got up from where he was under the console and sat with Ryan, staring at the bright green light together with huge grins of happiness, that was until it grew dim. Ryan's face dropped "It's going out - is it okay?" He asked.

"It's on a recharging cycle," Ross told him, the power cell grew brighter again and then went back to dim, doing the same every so seconds "it'll loop round, power back up and be ready to take us home in - oh - couple of hours?" Ross kissed the power cell.

"So, that gives us a couple of hours on a parallel world?"

"Surely! As long as we keep our heads down. Easy. No problem." Ross tossed the power cell in the air and caught it again as it came down. He stood up "Let's go tell Ratliff."

Ross and Ryan jumped out of the TARDIS to tell Ratliff, who was no longer sitting on the bench. He'd disappeared. Ross sighed and done a little angry spin, letting out an angry noise "For F- WHY DOES NOBODY LISTEN TO ME?!" Ross shouted out loud, causing him to get funny looks by passing people.

Ryan shrugged "I don't know, it seems to happen to you a lot."

"I know, c'mon," Ross said, beginning to go find Ratliff, with Ryan following him "we need to go find him before he does something stupid and gets himself trapped here."

Ryan managed to catch up with Ross "You really have a passion of hate for parallel worlds, don't you?"

"Yes, because I've seen what they can do to people. How they trap people. They basically destroy people's lives, I've never let it happen to anybody I knew and cared about before as a friend because we never came to Parallel worlds."

"Well, maybe if you came here in the past with one of your other little friends we wouldn't have this problem would we?"

"Maybe.. but there's no way Ratliff is getting trapped inside a parallel world under my watch."

_**Next Time: The Cyber Men**_

_**I did originally plan to do the cyber men in this chapter, but I decided not too just so all the Parallel World stuff could be said and understood more,so there was no point in calling it "The Cyber Men" when basically all this chapter was, was about The Parallel World, as this chapter is called. The next one should definitely have Cyber men in it though... along with some other "surprises" ;) I won't spoil :D **_

_**Seen as though I got almost 10 reviews on the last chapter, think we could get near enough the same? it's okay if we don't.. but I'd appreciate it :)**_

_**7 or 8 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_


	9. The Cyber Men

_**The Cyber Men**_

Ross and Ryan searched for Ratliff, going around wherever they could to try find him. They knew exactly where he'd of gone. Either to his and Jenna's gravestones or followed Matty to wherever he went, which was more than likely back home to Torchwood which was where he worked as he had said. But, considering Matty said he was off for the whole week they were almost certain that he didn't go back to Torchwood or wherever he lived. So no doubt Ratliff went in the direction Matty went in.

But once they were out of the park area, they had basically lost both Matty and Ratliff. They were out of sight. Ross just sighed, they were both stood near the Thames River, him and Ryan were both twisting and turning their heads to see if they could find any direction Ratliff had gone in. "THERE!" Ryan yelled, pointing where he could see Ratliff catching up to Matty.

Ross then pushed Ryan so they could run and catch up to them.

"Leave me alone."

Ratliff sighed "Look, wait please. Let me explain. I know it sounds crazy but it's true." Ratliff said, finally managing to jump in front of him to stop him from walking where he was going to. "I know it does sound like I've been locked away in a mental asylum for the past... year or something but I haven't! Trust me, there's more too it. Please, just let me explain?" he pleaded.

Matty rolled his eyes, looking Ratliff up and down before looking at him in the eyes where he could see the look of plead. He sighed "Fine. You've got five minutes."

Ratliff smiled with relief, as he went to go say something he was cut off but someone shouting his name. He looked behind Matty where he saw Ross and Ryan coming towards him. Ratliff sighed and grabbed Matty by the wrist "C'mon, let's find somewhere more- ARGH!"

"RATLIFF!" Ross shouted as he watched part of the floor Ratliff was stood on collapse beneath him, where he fell through right to the very bottom.

Matty stood at the edge where Ratliff had just fell and watched in horror as Ryan and Ross came up beside him. They looked down the hole, seeing darkness with a little bit of light at the bottom. Ross got on his knees at the edge "Ratliff! Are you okay?" He called down.

No answer.

"Ratliff.. Ratliff! RATLIFF!"

Ross sighed heavily in frustration "I'm going down there." Ross said, getting ready to jump down. "NO!" Ryan and Matty shouted, grabbing by the shoulder's to stop him and holding him back.

Matty turned Ross around "That's god knows how many feet down! So there's a good chance he's dead. If not, then he's obviously knocked himself out. Broken bone at least. We'll have to find another way down there. Are you some kind of idiot or something?" Matty asked.

"Yes."

With that, Ross just casually jumped down the hole as if it was nothing and pummeled to the bottom of the hole. Matty watched in disbelief as he done that, knowing now that there's going to be two dead bodies down at the bottom of that hole. He turned to Ryan next to him, where he saw Ryan didn't looked surprised or worried in the slightest "You don't seem surprised or shocked he just did that?"

Ryan just shrugged "It's Ross," Ryan looked to the hole "you'll be surprised what he'll do that's idiotic. Especially for Ratliff. AKA your little brother, but you don't seem to believe him," Matty went to go say something, but Ryan stopped him "no, I can't explain what's going on but I know Ross or Ratliff can. Not me. Trust me. I'm just a little tag along."

"No your not... Your my friend Ryan.."

Ryan shook his head "No your not. I'm not from this world. I'm from a different world," Ryan said as he walked closer to the edge, putting his back to it "and in that world all I know is that your Ellington and Jenna Ratliff's dead big brother. I'm not your Ryan, Matty." with that, Ryan gave him a quick smile before jumping down the hole after Ross. He didn't even know why he decided to jump down the hole, he'd been watching Ross way too much. He needed to stop.

"Matty!"

Matty turned around at the sound of his name being called out by.. Ryan. He saw Ryan and his other friend Jake coming towards him. He looked down the hole confused, and then back Ryan "What the.."

"Is everything okay?" Parallel!Ryan asked, looking down the hole "why's there a hole there?"

Matty sighed, rubbing his head "I.. I don't know.." He said. He took a deep breath "but.. are you coming with me?" Matty asked, looking at them both. Without no further explanation, he just jumped down the hole. "What the hell- MATTY!" Jake shouted, as he jumped down the hole.

Parallel!Ryan and Jake looked at each other concerned and worried for a moment before looking back down the hole.

Ross finally hit the bottom of the hole, doing a little roll on this side as he did as well, landing on his back. He groaned in pain a little with his eyes shut, Ross sat up and looked around for Ratliff or any sign of him when he saw Ratliff on the floor about 2 metres away, on his side with his back to him. Ross sighed with relief "Oh my god, Ratliff are you okay?" Ross asked, crawling over to where Ratliff was "Ratliff?"

He put his had on Ratliff's shoulder as he knelt behind him and rolled him over to see him, where he found Ratliff was unconscious. His eyes were slammed shut and his head was bleeding, judging by the nice stream of blood that was on the floor, running down Ratliff's face and on Ross's hand after he'd just touched his cheek. "No..." Ross whispered. He felt Ratliff's pulse to check he was still alive. He was. He sighed with relief. Ross then looked up to where the hole was that he'd just jumped down, wondering how the hell he was going to get back up to the top with Ratliff without dropping him. He would walk around the under ground where they were, but it was too dark.

He groaned as he held Ratliff in his arms.

"WATCH OUT!"

Ross looked up as he heard it coming from the top of the hole, he soon got his answer when Ryan smacked onto the floor and did some sort of commando roll to his feet, landing in some sort of stupid karate position. He then got out of it and limped around repeating "ow" as he done so. He looked onto the floor where he could only just make out Ross on the floor holding Ratliff "Is he okay?" Ryan asked, going over and crouching down next to him.

"No," Ross looked from Ryan and down to Ratliff again "he's breathing still. He should wake up, but not right now. He hit his head either on the way down or when he landed on the floor, his heads bleeding. Look." Ross moved his arm away from Ratliff's head a little so Ryan could see before putting it back.

Ryan looked back up to the entrance of the hole "How are we gonna get back up? Go through the tunnel?"

Ross shrugged "I don't know, it's too dark. Anything could be down here."

All of a sudden there was another thud that landed on the floor beside Ross, when he looked he saw Ryan on the floor with someone on top of him. When he took a closer look he saw it was Matty. He'd never been so confused in his entire life. Before, Matty was trying to get rid of Ratliff because he thought he was lying. Now he's jumping down holes after him? He just sighed, Parallel World's are so confusing.

Matty got up off the floor, looking that he'd just landed on Ryan. He helped him up from the floor, looking at him closer. He was completely shocked, he felt like the world was spinning around him. "Oh my, your not from here are you?" Matty asked, looking at Ryan.

Ryan shook his head "Nope. To you, I'm from a Parallel World. But, from my perspective... This is a Parallel World. And him," Ryan pointed to Ratliff on the floor "is your little brother. You just don't wanna believe it because you think he's dead when he's not. Your the one who's dead. Technically... your both alive. But.. yeah.. yo get the picture."

Matty turned his head slightly down to where Ross was holding Ratliff, noticing Ross wasn't even focusing on himself and Ryan. He was focusing more on Ratliff. Judging by the way he was looking down at him and stroking his cheek and hair, he turned his head back to Ryan who just nodded as if he already knew the question he was going to ask. Yes, it did have something to do with Ross and Ratliff. Ryan lent over to Matty "But if it's any consolation, they don't even know it." Ryan whispered, standing back in his other position.

Ryan and Matty walked closer to Ross and Ratliff, just looking down at them both "Ross," Ryan said "why don't you try figure a way out. Me and Matty will keep an eye on him."

Before any of them could make another movement, they saw a rucksack fall from the top of the hole landing all the way down to the bottom. They all looked up slowly to find a rope that just dangled down out of nowhere, Ryan went to go pull on it when he heard someone sliding down on it. It was Jake. Jake turned around and almost got the shock of his life when he saw Ryan stood there, he let his head fly to the top and back to Ryan "You were up there like 5 seconds ago..." Jake said "how..."

Ryan sighed "It's a long story."

Just then, the rope started to move again where you could hear someone else coming down the rope. Jake and Ryan looked up to see Parallel!Ryan coming down the rope. He got down the rope and turned around where he saw he came face to face with himself "Oh my god, what the hell?! What am I already doing down here?!" Parallel!Ryan asked.

Ryan looked himself up and down in front of him "Wow. This is different.." he said.

Matty came in between both Ryan's and Jake "Okay, we don't have time for this. I'm sure it can all be explained later, just come on. We need to find a way out of here."

Parallel!Ryan smiled and walked over to the rucksack and picked it up "I told you it would come in handy one day if I kept on bringing this around with us." He opened it up and pulled out a torch "Here, I'm sure this will help." he chucked it in the air so Jake caught it.

He switched on the torch and shone it around, he turned around and jumped out of his skin when he saw a metal robot against the wall stood there "Oh my god!" Jake shouted out, he shone the torch down further up down the tunnel where they were thousands of them "jesus christ... what the hell are these things?"

Ross looked up to where Jake was shining the torch, he gently laid Ratliff back onto the floor before standing up and having a look "Oh no.." Ross whispered under his breath. He walked up to them, looking at the wall seeing there was a mark where there had been some sort of explosion where wires were, they were all destroyed. He sighed with relief and turned around "It's okay, they're all dead," Ross said with a smile "them wires were what would of kept them all alive. But they're destroyed. Just like them. They're practically dead." Ross flicked one of the bots in the head.

"What are they?" Ryan asked "I mean, when I've been with you all I have saw is just disgusting creatures and weird robot clowns - I never even met one of those Dalek things you keep mentioning and Ratliff did. And he killed it. Like wow - Yet, I've never actually seen a real robot like that. What is it? Just like a regular robot?" He asked.

"No. It is a robot.. they're called Cyber Men though. But they're all dead." Ross laughed.

"Erm... Ross..." Matty said, looking at something behind him.

"Yeah?"

"Not all of them..."

Ross slowly turned around where he saw none other than a living Cyber Men stood behind them. The worst part.. Ratliff was on the floor behind it so he couldn't even get to him. "Oh no.."

"Delete." The Cyber man said, it's mouth lighting blue when it spoke.

All of a sudden before Ross could react to it, Ryan came out of nowhere and kicked the Cyber Man in it's chest sending it too the floor. Ross looked at Ryan with shock, he didn't actually thing Ryan was brave enough to take down a creature or robot. It was like the time himself, Ryan and Ratliff went to this school back in their world - where they all met one of Ross's old friend's Maia Mitchell - and these rats fell out of the cupboard, so he screamed like a girl. Ross, Ratliff and Maia thought Ryan was being attacked.

Apparently not.

Ryan rolled his eyes "Oh get over it, grab Ratliff and let's get out of here before it figures out how to get up!"

Ross immediately jumped over the cyber man and grabbed Ratliff, picking him up off the floor. All of them then made a break down the tunnel to try find a way out, Jake guiding them all with the torch as they ran past the dead Cyber Men. They kept on running, when Parallel!Ryan looked behind him he saw the Cyber Man regular Ryan had just kicked to the floor had gotten up and was now walking to wards them as they ran.

At last they all found some sort of metal door that would lead them out. Jake and regular Ryan began to panic as they kept pulling at things to open the door, but it wouldn't. The Cyber Man was gaining in, not that far away. "Hurry up and open the door!" Matty yelled as he was starting to panic now.

"We can't!"

Ross sighed "Matty, hold him." Ross put Ratliff into Matty's arms as he got to the door, trying to find the sonic screwdriver in his pocket to open it "someone stall the cyber guy while he tries to do this!" Jake said.

"Can you hear that?" Parallel!Ryan asked.

"Hear what?" Jake asked.

"That beeping sound.."

All of their heads turned to the wall where the sound was coming from, they did it slowly as Ross, Jake, Parallel!Ryan and Matty recognised the beeping sound. That's when their eyes landed on a bomb that was ticking down from.. One minute. "Oh shit!" Ryan called out "Ross hurry the fuck up and find your screwdriver thing!"

"Why the hell is there a bomb under ground?!" Matty asked.

"I don't know- HA!" Ross got the screwdriver from his pocket "maybe whoever found the cyber men and got them to shut down, they decided the best way to get rid of them for good was by putting a bomb where they are. Which is why in one minute- well actually fifty seconds the whole underground here is gonna go boom! They won't survive it!" Ross pointed the screwdriver to the door and used it to try open it.

Jake looked behind them and saw the Cyber Man was only around 8 metres away from them "Ross hurry up!" Jake called, getting scared.

The Cyber Man lifted up his arm, pointing the little gun he had on his arm at Jake getting ready to shoot him. Jake let out a whimpered cry "Ross! He's gonna shoot me! Hurry up!" He yelled.

"I'm trying! It's almost there!" Ross looked up to the bomb, seeing they had thirty-five seconds left before the bomb went off. "COME ON!" Ross shouted.

The Cyber Man fired his gun, Jake shut is eyes as it came towards him. Parallel!Ryan watched as the Cyber Man fired his gun at Jake, it happened so fast for regular Ryan and Matty to watch. Parallel!Ryan just jumped from where he was in front of Jake so the shot hit him instead of Ryan. He fell to the floor, dead. "RYAN!" Jake shouted.

Ross turned his head to find Parallel!Ryan on the floor dead after getting shot, that's when the door came open "Come on!" Ross shouted, opening it up and taking Ratliff from Matty going through the door with him.

"C'mon Jake, leave him or it'll be you next!" Matty called at him. Ryan just watched from the door with tears in his eyes after watching himself get shot by a cyborg. Matty grabbed Jake by the shoulder's and pulled him up "C'mon! We have 20 seconds to get out! Now COME. ON!" Matty pushed Jake out of the door, leaving Ryan and Matty to slam the metal door shut on the Cyber man. They both turned around and then the three of them caught up to Ross who was running his best in front of them all with Ratliff slumped over his shoulder.

They ran as fast as they could to try get up, counting the twenty seconds down in their head as they ran and got to some ladders. Ross went up first, struggling a little holding Ratliff over his shoulder, he climbed up and pushed the lid open which, strangely enough, led out to beside the Thames River by where they were before. Just a little further up. He climbed up and put Ratliff on the floor, helping Ryan, Matty and Jake up where they then put the lid on the top of the hole. Ross and Jake lent on it to keep it shut, as they felt it vibrate which meant the bomb had gone off.

All of a sudden the explosion came up out of the hole that Ratliff had fell through, they watched it as it shone in the night sky. It soon disappeared. Ross sighed, letting him sit himself on the floor "That happened way too fast for me to comprehend anything," he took a deep breath "everyone okay?" Ryan and Matty nodded as they tried to catch their breaths, also trying to comprehend what had just happened in the space of 10 minutes. Ross looked at Jake "What about you Jake?" He asked.

Jake sighed "He's dead," he looked at Ross "he died for me."

"Who died?"

The four boys turned their heads to the voice who had just spoke, they turned to see Ratliff sitting up on the floor. "Ow, my head hurts..." He said, putting his hand on his head. That's when he noticed Ross, Ryan, Matty and some other guy staring at him "what? What happened?"

All of them were now back outside the TARDIS, Ratliff had Ryan and Matty explained to him what had happened in the ten minutes he had been knocked out for. Ryan and Jake stood talking outside the TARDIS whilst Matty sat on the bench with Ratliff, trying to sort out his head where he had split it open. Ross on the other hand was inside the TARDIS as the power cell had finally charged back up. He went into the dark TARDIS and put the power cell in place, where the TARDIS finally sprung back into life how it was before. A grin came across Ross's face.

"Ow!" Ratliff kept flinching in pain every time Matty kept on trying to clean his head and put it so it didn't bleed anymore.

"Don't move then and it won't hurt so much!" Matty said, slapping Ratliff's hand as he kept on trying to go touch it. Silence fell over them both for a couple of seconds before they started laughing a little "There, done." Matty said, wiping his hands onto his jeans. He looked at Ratliff as he was looking over at the TARDIS and Ross came out of it, going over to Ryan and Jake. He looked at Ross and back at Ratliff "So, I've erm.. been meaning to ask you," Matty said, making Ratliff look at him "that Ross person.. he seems to care an awful lot about you. Don't you think?"

Ratliff let a small smile come up on his face "Yeah, he's nice like that.. he cares for everyone. Sometimes more than others."

"Well by the way he as looking at you and holding you down in that tunnel, I wouldn't say like.. I'd say love."

"Excuse me? He's not in love with me.. Jesus. That's going too extreme. I say the same thing to everyone who says this... he's not."

Matty laughed at Ratliff, it was amazing how blind he was. Obviously people have said that to Ratliff before and not said anything else after that. So why not take that blind fold off Ratliff and make him see clearly "But he is, it's too obvious. Even earlier I could tell by the way he was trying to protect you from me breaking your heart saying you weren't my little brother because he's dead, I mean.. yes.. you are dead, Ratliff. In this world your dead. But in the other one your alive. I get it, I believe it now. Especially after what happened and what Ross explained to me. Ryan's told me all these stories about how you and Ross just forget he's there when your with each other, now.. if that's not love I don't know what is," Matty said, making Ratliff go silent "he also showed me the video of you both dancing together around that thing."

"Hey! That was for a joke! Ryan did it as well!"

Matty laughed again, rolling his eyes. Love. He wasn't gonna let him escape out of this that easily "C'mon... Can't you see it?" Matty asked "it's obvious." Ratliff looked from Matty over to where Ross was talking to Jake and Ryan about something when Ross saw Ratliff looking at him from the corner of his eye, he looked at him and flashed him a quick smile looking back at the others after about 5 or 7 seconds. Ratliff smiled back at him.

"Your in love with him too, aren't you?"

Ratliff turned his head and looked at Matty "What..? Why would I-"

"Oh c'mon Ell, don't be like this. Don't hide it from me. I'm your brother for crying out loud, you can't hide the truth from me. Just tell me."

Ratliff smiled a little, mainly because Matty had just called him his brother. He never thought he'd hear that again from his mouth, and the other part why he was smiling was because Matty was right. "Yes," Ratliff came out with him "I am. Okay? There you happy?"

Matty smiled "Aw, how bad?"

Ratliff shrugged "I don't know, more than I was when I was with Emily I know that. Cause once she broke up with me for thinking I was going off with Ross, I couldn't of cared less, you know? Now, all I wanna do is just not go home. Even if I do go home, I don't wanna go without him. I know I'm probably gonna end up dying before he does, just knowing that he's gonna find someone else after I go just stings. I don't ever wanna be apart from him."

Matty put an arm around Ratliff "There, there, I'm sure you'll figure out that he loves you too."

"Alright!" Ross said, directing it to Ryan and Ratliff "c'mon. Let's get going. I've only got five minutes of power. So, let's get going!" Ross jumped to the front of the TARDIS waiting for Ryan and Ratliff.

Ratliff got up from the bench as well as Matty "I'm never gonna see you again.. so I guess this is.. goodbye?"

"Pretty much," Matty said before hugging him "bye. Tell Jenna I said hi. And I'll tell Mom you said the same."

Ratliff pulled away from the hug "Mom's alive? Oh, of course she is. Parallel World! Duh! Anyway, I better be off. See ya."

"Oh, one more thing."

Ratliff turned around facing Matty. "If we do meet again, I expect you and him to be together and dating. Or at least of told you love each other."

Ratliff laughed and walked over to the TARDIS where Ross was. Ross clapped his hands together "Let's get going then." He draped his arm over Ratliff.

"Um.." Ryan said, stepping forward, looking guilty about something "I'm staying."

"You're what?" Ross asked, staring at Ryan in disbelief.

Ratliff took Ross's arm from around him and walked closer to Ryan, upset "You can't."

Ryan's voice started to tremble as he spoke "It sort of balances out," Ryan said "this world already lost it's Ryan, so it's only right I stay." Ryan smiled sadly, as he knows it's what he heard himself say in the Crystal Cave. Looks like that was one of the things that came to pass. "Also, someone's gotta make sure all them Cyber Men have gone. Right?"

Ryan started to think for a moment. If he stayed in the Parallel World like it said he was gonna in the Crystal Cave, and Ross said the only ones that come true are the ones that you hear in your head... then what about the others? Because Ross and Ratliff heard that in the Crystal Cave, so what about Jenna and Matty's conversation, Ratliff's scream of death as well as him crying... what about those?

What if they come to pass?

"But you can't stay." Ratliff said, starting to beg. He didn't wanna lose his best friend.

"Ratliff, Jake just told me my Gran's here. She's alive in this world. My old Gran - you remember her?"

Ratliff sighed and just nodded. "She needs me.." Ryan said.

"What about me? What if I need you?"

"Yeah, but Ell... You don't it's just you and him,isn't it?" Ryan looked at Ross at the TARDIS and then at Ratliff "look.. you were the bestest friend I ever had. You really were. But I think I finally found where I belong now, I learnt from the best of how to look after myself," He smiled at Ross and Ratliff that time "plus.. I think you've found where you belong too."

Ratliff's voice shook sadly "Well- We'll come back. We can travel anywhere, come and see you, yeah?"

"We can't," Ross said from behind "I told you, travel between parallel worlds is impossible. We only got here by accident. We-we fell through a crack in time. When we leave... I've got to close it. We can't ever return." Ross looked over to Ryan, as if asking him if it was really what he wanted to do. Stay in a Parallel World.. trapped forever. Ryan just nodded his head, knowing. Ratliff just stood there between them both, looking defeated.

Ryan glanced at Ratliff and held his hand out to Ross "Ross."

Ross shook his head "Make sure every single Cyber Men under that tunnel is dead and none are left over, you hear me? We don't need a Cyber Men problem," He said. Ryan nodded. Ross then started to smile "and good luck. Ryan the idiot." Ross slapped Ryan's cheek with a twinkle in his eye.

"Watch it!"

Ross laughed before he sauntered back into the TARDIS, slipping inside to wait for Ratliff. Ratliff turned to Ryan, looking like he was about to cry. "We've had a laugh though haven't we?" Ryan asked, with a slight smile. Ratliff just nodded. Ryan continued "Seen it all, been there and back... who would have thought, me and you off the old estate, flying through the stars?"

"All those years just sitting up there.. imagining what we'd do one day..." Ratliff added onto the end of it. His voice broke "We never saw this, did we?"

Ryan and Ratliff then wrapped their arms around each other for one final hug. "Go on," Ryan said "you'll miss your flight."

Ratliff clutched onto Ryan tighter in the hug and pulled away, giving him one last look before running back to the TARDIS sadly. He got over to the door opening it, he looked back at Ryan giving him one last look before going into the TARDIS shutting the door behind him.

Never to return to a Parallel World again.

"Jake, Matty, you wanna watch this." Ryan said, looking at the TARDIS.

Jake and Matty walked over to Ryan and watched as the TARDIS dematerialised, disappearing from the Parallel World forever which kind of hurt Ryan a little. "What... the hell..?" Jake asked as he and Matty stared in disbelief.

"That's Ross... in the TARDIS... with Ellington Ratliff."

**_Next Time: Fear Her_**

**_Then: Army Of Ghosts_**

**_After: Doomsday_**

* * *

**N'aww Ryan's gone :( The first Character to leave the story for good :( I wonder how many of you actually like Ryan? Haha. Lol. He shipped Rosslington in this harder than fedex. cx**

**5 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**


	10. Fear Her: The Drawings

**I guess all I can say is that this two-parted chapter is the only happy-ish one left before everything goes epicly wrong? I won't spoil ;)**

**_Fear Her: Part 1_**

It had been a while ever since they left Ryan off in the Parallel World. Surprisingly, neither Ross or Ratliff forgot about him. Some days they would talk about him, about how great he was, how much of an idiot he was and such. Mainly the idiot part. That's what they loved about him the most, his idioticness. They just wish they got the chance to explain that to him before he got trapped in the Parallel World. Sometimes they couldn't help but laugh about it as they acted as if Ryan had been trapped in the Parallel World against his own will, when he wasn't. It just felt that way. And Ross hates that feeling.

And if he's feeling that real bad feeling because he stayed willingly, Ross would hate to experience what it would be like to have someone he cares about trapped there against his or her's own will.

Nothing exactly major had happened ever since Ryan left anyway. Well... there was one thing that happened with the whole "Bad Wolf" situation. Riker came back for about a journey or so, and then there was this Dalek that was about still. Needless to say Ross went to go give himself up to it so he would die, he sent Ratliff back home in the TARDIS, Riker ended up being killed by a Dalek, and seen as though there was no hope left for them anymore Ratliff decided to look into the vortex of the TARDIS. He ended up absorbing it, brought Riker back to life with it, killed the remaining Dalek (again) and well.. Ratliff officially became the "Bad Wolf" person. Least, that's what Ross keeps on calling him to wind him up. Ross decided to send Riker back home after being killed and brought back to life with him. Of course, Ross had to take what Ratliff had let himself get absorbed with out of him. Seen as though they were so caught up in the moment after he killed the Dalek with the vortex, Ross kissed him. At least that time they both knew it was happening, even though Ratliff kinda passed out afterwards because the vortex was too much of it to take.

Like I said, nothing major.

Right now, after all of that, Ross decided it was time to go somewhere now. The future. Not too far in the future though. Given that it's 2005 or 2006 where Ratliff's time is, they just went to 2012 when they Olympics were being held which should be fun. Seeing them early before they actually start. After finally finding a place to land, the TARDIS materialised right in between two heavy containers. The TARDIS just fit between them. The problem was, the TARDIS had parked it's self the wrong way, so they were facing the container and couldn't get out.

Ross opened up the door, seeing it was blocking the door "Oh." he walked back inside of the TARDIS, making it dematerialise and materialise again. Making it the right way this time. Ross stepped out of the TARDIS "ah." Ratliff followed Ross out of the TARDIS, having a look around to see if he could guess where about's in the future they were. Ross didn't tell him. That was when Ratliff noticed a One Direction poster advertising one of there albums which was tacked into a fence. "One Direction? Who the hell are they?" Ratliff asked. Considering One Direction weren't out in 2005 and six, he had no clue. "Taking it we're in the near future, cause I don't see no flying cars or busses."

"I had a passing fancy. Only it didn't pass, it stopped."

Ross and Ratliff started walking down a road, which had a "London 2012" banner hanging across from one lamp post to the other across the road. "30th Olympia!" Ross said, throwing his arms in front of him like he was presenting it. Letting his arms fall back down to his side.

Ratliff was delighted, he linked his arm through Ross's "No way! Why didn't I think of this, that's great! Ah!"

Ross started to beam as Ratliff was getting all happy and excited about where they were. "Only seems like yesterday a few naked Greek guys were tossing a discus about.. wrestling each other in the sand with crowds stood about, begging- No.. wait a minute... that was Club Med." Ross laughed at his own joke, nudging Ratliff in the process as he still had his arm linked with his. "Just in time for the opening doo dah - ceremony... tonight, I thought you'd like that. Last one they had in London was dynamite. Wembley, 1948. I loved it so much, I went back and watched it all over again. The guy carrying the torch... lovely person, what was his..?"

Ratliff started to get side tracked by one of Ross's fascinating stories when he saw "MISSING" posters attached onto one of the lamp posts. He unlinked with Ross's arm and started to move closer to investigate, but Ross carried on talking oblivious to what Ratliff was doing. So he just kept on yapping to himself not knowing "Mark..? John..? Mark..? Legs like pipe cleaners, but strong as a whippet." He continued on.

"Ross-"

"-And in those days, everybody had a tea party to go to."

"Ross?"

"- Did you ever have one of those little cakes with the crunchy ball bearings on top-"

"You should really take a look." Ratliff finally cut him off, getting a full-ish sentence in.

Ross looked at Ratliff "Do you know those - those things?" He asked "nobody else in this entire galaxy's ever even bothered to make edible ball bearings. Genius." At long last, Ross finally took a look at the posters. They were of kids. All three of them. Kids going missing from the streets. "What's taking them do you think?" Ross asked, he quickly scanned the posters "Snatching children from a thoroughly ordinary street like this. Why's it so cold...? is something reducing the temperature?"

Ratliff re-read the posters "It says they all went missing this week. Why would a person do something like this?"

Ross looked at Ratliff, considering him "What makes you think it's a person?"

Ratliff turned around when he heard the sound of a front door opening, he watched as a women dumped a recycling sack onto the pavement outside her house and hurried back inside when she saw Ross and Ratliff. Ratliff then looked back at the posters and Ross "Whatever it is, it's got the whole street scared to death. Ross, what-?"

Ratliff turned around to look at Ross only to realise he was already gone and down the other end of the road. He sighed, rolling his eyes.

Ross quickly found the place where one of the kids had gone missing, Tom was his name, it was outside a house by a mini football goal. He held out his hands in front of him, as though he was feeling something invisible in front of him. Ross crouched down to the ground, hovering his hands over what appeared to be just an ordinary piece of grass.

Ratliff hurried along the road to try catch up and find Ross to wherever Ross had disappeared off too. That's when a car juddered to a halt beside him on the road, the car engine just completely gave up. He stopped to watch as a council worker - Kel - propped his broom against his white van and approached the car. "There you go. Fifth today. Not natural is it?" He asked.

"I don't know what happened. I had it serviced less than a month ago." The driver told him.

Kel shook his head "Nah, don't even try and explain it, mate. All the cars are doing it. And do you know what? It's bonkers."

The driver then got out of his car, getting ready to push it with Kel. "Come on then, pal. I'll help you shift it. Quicker you're on the way, happier you'll be." Kel started to push the car from behind, straining, whilst the driver pushed from the drivers side.

Ratliff folded his arms as he watched "Want a hand?" Ratliff asked.

Kel looked at Ratliff, looking him up and down at how amazingly skinny he was "No thanks. We're all right."

Ratliff laughed, grinning "No you're not. I'm stronger than I look. Honest." he positioned himself behind the car and gestured for Kel to move over, he did and Ratliff started to help him push it. The engine then suddenly sprung back into life, which caused Kel to promptly fall over. He stood up from the floor and brushed himself down. "Does this happen a lot?" Ratliff asked.

"Cheers mate!" The driver called, driving off.

"Been doing it all week." Kel said disgruntled.

"Since those children have been going missing?"

Kel didn't see the connection between the kids going missing and the cars stopping, so he just ignored it and let it pass him by "Yeah, I s'pose so."

Ross was still outside Tom's house and on the grass, giggling as he felt a sensation he was feeling over the grass. It was really a funny feeling, but whatever it was, was obviously the thing that took Tom. He couldn't help but laugh at what it felt like on his hands "Tickles!"

"What's your game?"

Ross immediately jumped up from the floor and turned around, seeing - obviously - Tom's Dad stood there with his hands in his pockets. Ross started to flounder "My.. um... Snakes and Ladders? Quite good at.. Squash. Reasonable," Ross saw the look he was getting from Tom's Dad as he spoke "I'm.. being facetious, aren't I? There's no call or it."

Ratliff and Kel walked along the street they were on, as Ratliff was trying to find Ross but he was also trying to find out what was going on so he and Ross could figure out what was going on "Every car cuts out," Kel continued on explaining the strange happenings to Ratliff "the council are going insane. I mean, they've given this street the works. Renamed it.. I've been tarmacking every pot hole," He then gestured to one that was beside them both, proudly "Look at that. Beauty isn't it? Yep! And all that is because that Olympic torch comes right by the end of this close. Just down there. Everything's got to be perfect, ain't it? Only it ain't."

As they walked they came across an old women called Maeve, she eavesdropped on their conversation as they talked "It takes them when they're playing.." She said.

Ratliff turned his head and looked at the old women "What takes them?"

"Danny... Jane... Dale.. snatched in the blink of an eye."

Before Ratliff could say anything, Ross's voice - pleading - came closer to them all. He was backing away from Tom's Dad who looked like he was about to pounce on Ross and beat him up. "I'm- I'm a police officer! I've got a badge - and - and a police car.. you don't have to get- I can- I can prove it! Just hold on-" Ross fished inside his pocket for his psychic paper he uses, whatever he says he is he shows it to people and they immediately see that on the paper. Even though it's completely blank.

Tom's Dad spoke roughly to Ross "We've had plenty of police poking around here, and you don't look - or sound - like any of them."

Ross turned around and pointed in Ratliff's face "See, look! I've got a colleague! Lewis." Ross then gave Tom's dad a policeman-like wink.

"He looks less of a policeman than you do."

Ross looked at Ratliff then at Tom's Dad "Training. New recruit. It was either that or hairdressing, so..." Ross brandished the psychic paper at Tom's dad "Voila!"

A women - called Trish - walked over and joined Ross, Ratliff, Maeve, Kel and Tom's Dad, all standing in a circle in the middle of the street "What are you going to do?"

"The police have knocked on every door - no clues, no leads, nothing." Maeve said.

Tom's Dad started speaking up "Look, kids run off sometimes, alright? That's what they do-"

"Dale Hixon in your garden," Maeve cut him off "playing with your Tommy, and then...!" Maeve mimicked something in front of her disappearing "Right in front of me, like he was never there! There's no need to look any further than this street. It's right here amongst us."

Ross started "Why don't we-" only to be cut off again.

"Why don't we start with him?" A near by neighbour said, pointing at Kel "there's been all sorts like him in this street, day and night."

"Fixing things up for the Olympics!" Kel said, indignantly.

"Yeah, and taking an awful long time about it!" Tom's Dad chipped in.

Ross once again tried to say something before this whole thing started turning ugly "I'm of the opinion that all we've gotta do is just-"

"You don't- what you just said, that's slander!" Kel continued, not listening to a single word Ross was doing. Nor was anybody else, but Ratliff who didn't dare say a word.

"I don't care what it is!" The neighbour snapped.

"I think we need to just-"

Kel cut Ross off once again "I want an apology off her!"

"Stop picking on him!" Maeve started in again, sticking up for Kel.

"Yeah! Stop picking on me!"

"And stop pretending to be blind! It's evil!"

The neighbour glared at Kel "I don't believe in evil."

Kel snapped, angrily "Oh no, you just believe in tarmackers with sack loads of kidnapped kiddies in their van-"

"Ay, ay, ay, that's not what she's saying!" Another neighbour started getting involved.

"Would you stop ganging up on me?!"

"Feeling guilty are we?" The neighbour asked, shrilly.

"FINGERS ON LIPS!" Ross shouted over the babbling.

Ross put his finger over his lips before glaring around at them all as if dating them all to do it. The council worker who was behind Kel already obeyed Ross's order and put his finger on his lips, and after a moment of complete bewilderment, Kel and Tom's Dad did the same as well as Trish, the neighbours and Maeve. Ross then looked to Ratliff pointedly, because he hadn't done the same yet he was just looking around at everyone until he looked at Ross who was looking at him. He jumped a little and put his finger on his lips. All of them then had their fingers on their lips, letting silence fall over everyone.

Ross spoke "In the last six days, three of your children have been stolen. Snatched out of thin air, right?"

Maeve started gesturing to ask if she could have permission to take her finger off her lips "Erm.. Can I...?" She asked. Ross then motioned her to go on ahead. "Look around you... this was a safe street till it came. It's not a person. I'll say it if no one else will," She started saying, not knowing that Trish's daughter - Chloe - was watching them all from outside the window "Maybe you're police - maybe you're not. I don't care who you are. Can you please help us?"

Ratliff looked around himself where he spotted Chloe watching from outside her window, which he felt like it was a little bit suspicious. Failing to notice Trish had noticed him looking up at her, that's when she spun around and looked up to Chloe's window before she hurried up inside.

A little while later, Ross and Ratliff were both stood outside of Tom's Dad house trying to figure out how the kids could of disappeared. Tom's Dad parted his net curtains from inside the house where he saw Ratliff standing beside Ross who was on the floor sniffing around like he was some kind of sniffer dog. Ratliff just stood there watching for a few moments "Want a hanky?" He asked.

"Can you smell it?" Ross asked, stopping sniffing around. Ratliff sniffed the air around him. "What does it remind you of?" he asked.

"Sort of.. metal?" Ratliff asked, looking down at Ross who nodded. "Oooh!" Ratliff grinned.

Ross got up from the floor and waved at Tom's Dad before they both left.

Ross and Ratliff both walked down a narrow alleyway, going to where all the kids had disappeared from. "Danny Edwards cycled in one end but never came out of the other," Ross started to feel something again. It was the same feeling he felt when he and Ratliff were back at Tom's Dad's house "whoa, there it goes again!" Ross turned over his hand and showed Ratliff the back of his hand "look at the hairs on the back of my manly hairy hand."

"What manly hairy hand?" Ratliff asked, making Ross unamused. Ratliff inhaled the air around him "And there's that smell... it's like a um.. a burnt fuse plug or something."

"There's a residual energy in the spots where the kids vanished. Whatever it was, it used an awful lot of power to do this."

A few minutes later, Ross and Ratliff found themselves walking around the streets again. Ratliff was a few paces behind Ross "Aren't you a beautiful boy?!" Ratliff gushed, smiling.

Ross started to beam "Thanks! I'm experimenting with back-combing." Ross turned around where he noticed Ratliff was talking to a ginger cat that was on the grass. In which Ross soon became disappointed "Oh."

Ratliff stroked the ginger cat, smiling "I used to have one like you." the cat started to meow as Ratliff stroked the cat.

Ross just watched uncomfortably, looking as though he had a nasty taste in his mouth, as he watched Ratliff play with the cat. Ratliff noticed the way Ross was looking "What?"

"No, I'm not really a cat person. Once you've been threatened by one in a nun's wimple, it kind of takes the joy out of it." Ross said, referring to a previous place they had went to. They went to the far away future to a place called New, New York and there were these cats in a humans body.. turned out they were evil. And they met The Face Of Boe. That's what mainly put him off cats for life.

The cat the started wandering over to a cardboard box away from the cat. "Come here, puss!" Ratliff said, following it in a nice tone. Ross then averted his eyes from that scene as the cat climbed into the box.

"What do you wanna go in there for?" Ratliff asked as he watched the cat climb in.

All of a sudden there was a whooshing sound, and the cats meow's echoed slightly as if it was fading into the distance. Ratliff peered inside of the box where the cat was - only to find it was empty with nothing in it. "Ross!" Ratliff called, urgently.

Ross hurried over to Ratliff as he called him, Ratliff then hurriedly stood up as he felt the smell of metal hit her in the face like a wrecking ball. "Whoa!" Ross said, backing off from the box as the smell only just hit him too "hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" Ross waved the smell away from his hand and picked up the empty cardboard box where the cat once use to be "Iron residue. Blimey! That takes some doing!" Ross turned the box around, impressed "Just to snatch a living organism out of space/time. This baby is just like-" Ross put on an accent "'I'm avin' some of that' - I'm impressed."

"So.. the cats been transported?"

Ross and Ratliff once again were walking around the street of where Maeve and Trish live, failing to notice Chloe watching them from the bedroom as they walked. "It can harness huge reserves of ionic power," Ross pointed "we need to find the source of that power," He looked around "find the source and you will find.. whatever has taken to stealing children and fluffy animals. See what you can see," Ross whacked Ratliff on the shoulder, gesturing to his eyes "keep them peeled, Lewis." Ratliff nodded as Ross walked off.

Ratliff walked alone down a cul-de-sac, for a few minutes now, and it appeared to come to a dead end. The neighbour hood was eerily quiet, except for the odd dog barking which made Ratliff suspicious. The whole place was way too quiet and he hadn't even found a single clue yet as to where this source Ross was talking about was coming from. And that's when he heard something crash from inside one of the garages, making him turn around.

The initial crash was then followed by several smaller ones as Ratliff started to approach the garage door. "Is that you, puss-cat? Are you trapped?" Ratliff asked, hoping like hell it was the cat and it wasn't anything else that was about to jump out at him and kill him.

Then there was the sound of something metal rolling around the floor from within, so Ratliff put his ear against the door. He then jumped back a couple of seconds later after having a trillion heart attacks because of the sound of another crash that happened closely to the door. Ratliff then started to actually consider going through the door to find what it was "Not gonna open it," Ratliff started to mutter under her breath "not gonna open it. Not gonna open it..."

But he opened it. Slowly and tentatively... he looked in the inside of the garage only to be ambushed by what resembled a very violent tangle of wires, making a strange buzzing sound and Ratliff fell backwards onto the floor. Luckily, Ross appeared round the corner in the nick of time for Ratliff and started running as fast as he could as soon as he saw Ratliff was in trouble.

"Stay still!" Ross called. He pointed his sonic screwdriver at the giant scribble, and it convulsed, collapsing into a small ball which fell into Ratliff's outstretched hands. Ross then rushed over to him, standing over him "Okey, dokey?" Ross held out his hands and pulled Ratliff to his feet.

"Yeah, cheers." Ratliff said, slightly out of breath.

Both of them shared a quick hug before returning their attention to the object in Ratliff's hands "I'll give you a fiver if you can tell me what the hell is is," Ross poked it with the sonic "cause... I haven't got the foggiest."

"Well, I can tell you you've just killed it."

Ross took it from Ratliff's hands "It was never living. It's animated by energy. Same energy that's snatching people," Ross threw it up and down in the air quite delighted "this is so dinky! The Go-Anywhere creature. Fits in your pocket... makes friends, impresses the boss... breaks the ice at parties.." He stuffed it into his pocket as Ratliff laughed when they moved off.

They both sat in the TARDIS minutes later figuring out what the object was. Ross had put it into the TARDIS console so it could analyse it so they were one step closer to try finding the problem. "Oh - hi ho, here we go. Let's have a look." Ross and Ratliff watched the computer screen, which displayed Gallifreyan symbols. "Get out of here.." Ross said surprised.

"What's it say?" Ratliff asked. He'd been travelling with Ross for almost 2 years now, and ever since he saw them symbols he was pretty sure that by now he would know at least how to read them. Not as good as Ross, but well. But, apparently not.

As if to confirm what Ross had just seen, he took a pencil from the side and held the object out in front of him. He used the eraser at the end of the pencil to rub out the part of the object "It is!" Ross blew it "it's graphite! Basically the same material as an HB pencil."

Ratliff looked at Ross and the object with disbelief "I was attacked by a... pencil scribble."

"Scribble creature," Ross sniffed it, then let Ratliff sniff it "brought into being with ionic energy. Whatever we're dealing with, it can create things as well as take them. But... why make a scribble creature?!"

"Maybe it was a mistake... I mean, you scribble over something when you wanna get rid of it. Like a um... like a drawing. Like a... a-" Ratliff then all of a sudden got the look of realisation "child's drawing.." Ross then glanced over to Ratliff like he was onto something "you said it was on the street."

"Probably.."

"The girl."

"Of COURSE!" Ross shouted. But then looked confused "What girl?"

"Something about her gave me the creeps... even her own Mom looked scared of her."

Ross leant in towards Ratliff "Are you deducting?"

Ratliff gave Ross a conspiratorial look "I think I am."

"Coppers hunch?"

"Permission to follow up, sarge." Ratliff said, mocking himself being a police man.

Ross and Ratliff rang the door bell to Trish's front door. Trish looked at the door where she saw Ross and Ratliff's shadows through the glass on the door, she considered going to answer the door for a moment, suspicious - then they started rapping on the letter box. Trish then walked over to the door, opening it where both guys gave her a friendly smile. "Hello! I'm Ross and this is Ratliff. Can we see your daughter?" He asked.

"No! You can't."

"Okay! Bye."

Ross and Ratliff both turned around in silence walking, waiting for Trish to say something. "Why?" Trish asked, making them both stop. They turned in a unison to face Trish. "Why do you want to see Chloe?" She asked.

"Well, there's some interesting stuff going on down this street, and I just thought - well, we thought - that she might like to give us a hand."

"Sorry to bother you." Ratliff apologised, seen as though it looked like Ross wasn't going to. Even though the apology was for effect in the hope Trish would let them in.

"Yeah, sorry. We'll let you get on with things. On your own. Bye again!"

They turned to walk away again, but Trish didn't close the door. And after a few moments Trish started spoke "Wait!" She called. Ross and Ratliff then turned around again to Trish who looked helpless and vulnerable. "Can you help her?" Trish asked.

Ross smiled "Yes I can."

The two of them were both let into Trish's living room, where on the TV footage of the Olympic Torch Bearer was on the TV. Ratliff came in and sat himself down on the sofa while Ross just flung his coat down next to him. "She stays in her room most of the time. I try talking to her, but it's like trying to speak to a brick wall. She gives me nothing, just asks to be left alone." Trish explained to them both.

Ratliff looked up to Trish "What about Chloe's Dad?"

"He died a year ago."

"I'm sorry.."

"You wouldn't be if you'd of known him." Trish immediately said back.

"Well!" Ross started to speak brightly "Let's go and say hi!"

"I should check on her first.." Trish stopped Ross, becoming hesitant "she might be asleep."

"Why?" Ross asked, folding his arms "are you afraid of her, Trish?"

"I want you know that before you see her, she is a really great kid."

"I'm sure she is." Ross replied.

"Can I use your toilet for a moment?" Ratliff asked, even though it was one of the most randomness times to ask. Trish nodded, so Ratliff got up from where he was and left the room, Ross watched him closely as he left the room.

Ratliff walked upstairs as Trish's voice carried on through the house of her telling Ross all about Chloe. He emerged onto a landing, he looked around where he found the door to Chloe's bedroom door. When he looked down to the bottom of the door, a shadow blocked out the light from beneath, then there was the sound of movement from within the bedroom. Ratliff then quickly moved out of the way from Chloe's bedroom and jumped into a near-by airing cupboard, closing the ventilated doors on himself. He watched through the gaps of the doors as Chloe left her bedroom, hearing her footsteps go down the steps.

Ratliff kept his eyes on Chloe's bedroom door, he climbed out of the cupboard shutting it behind him. He walked over and slowly pushed open her bedroom door, going inside where he saw hundreds of drawings covering the walls. He creeped further into the room, looking around at everything that was there which was mainly the drawings. When all of a sudden the wardrobe doors started to rattle, making Ratliff jump and let out a small gasp. He then ended up knocking over a pencil holder on the floor. He turned around seeing the pencils all over the floor, his eyes caught a drawing of a boy frowning as he bent down and picked up the pencils. Once he had the pencils all picked up, his gaze drew back to the drawing of the boy where he was now baring his teeth at Ratliff. Even though he was frowning only a matter of seconds ago.

Ross popped his head around the dining room door to where Chloe had just went into the kitchen, he looked through into there. "Everything alright there?" Ross asked.

Chloe drank some milk she had from the fridge as Ross walked over into the kitchen, with Trish behind him. Ross settled himself against the table as Chloe replaced the milk back into the fridge. "I'm Ross."

Chloe faced him "I'm Chloe Webber."

"How're you doing, Chloe Webber?"

"I'm busy. Making something. Aren't I Mum?"

"And like I said," Trish started to add "she hasn't been sleeping."

"But you've been drawing, though. I'm rubbish. Stick men are my limit. Can do this though..." he then did the 'live long and prosper' sign from Star Trek, Chloe's face was just expressionless as he did that. So he stopped "can you do that?"

Trish nodded at Chloe, trying to encourage her to answer. "They don't stop moaning." Chloe said.

"Chloe..." Trish warned.

"I try to help them, but they don't stop moaning." She continued on, ignoring her Mom.

Ross spoke quietly "Who don't?"

"We can be together."

"Sweetheart-" Trish said, moving in towards her.

"Don't touch me."

Trish stopped in her tracks, letting her hand fall down to her side where then her and Ross shared a quick glance.

Ratliff jumped at the sound of the wardrobe doors rattling again. After taking a couple of nervous glances around the room, he slowly approached the wardrobe, steeling himself. He opened up the door slowly peering inside, where a wind started to rustle the clothes. He parted the clothes so he could see the back of the wardrobe where a red light flooded the whole wardrobe and reflected off Ratliff's face. On the back of the wardrobe, there was a huge picture of a bearded man whose face was contorted with fury - the red light was coming from his glowing red eyes. In that moment, Ratliff realised that must be Chloe's Dad.

"I'm coming..." The picture said in a harsh deep voiced tone.

"I'm busy... Ross." Chloe told Ross before she left the kitchen to go upstairs.

Ross called after her, disappointed "Oh, come on, Chloe! Don't be a spoil sport!" Ross followed Chloe into the hallway "What's the big project? I'm dying to know! What're you making up there?"

"ROSS!" Ratliff shouted from upstairs, terrified.

At the sound of Ratliff's voice, Ross lurched forward and sprinted up the stairs as fast as he could with Trish and Chloe following him.

Ratliff was just stood there staring into the wardrobe as if he was transfixed, that's when Ross came running into the room. He came in and slammed the wardrobe doors shut without so much as a glance inside of it. "Look at it." Ratliff said, still looking at the wardrobe.

"No thanks." Ross walked away to look at the drawings on the wall.

"What the hell was that?" Trish asked.

"A drawing. The face of a man.." Ratliff said, finally taking his eyes away from the wardrobe and looking at the others.

"What face?"

Trish tried to go open the door to go have a look inside, but Ratliff rammed himself up against the two doors stopping Trish. "Best not." He said.

Trish turned around and looked at Chloe "What've you been drawing?" She asked.

"I drew him yesterday." Chloe told her.

"Who?"

"Dad."

Trish became unpleasantly surprised and upset "Your dad? But he's long gone. Chloe, with all the lovely things in the world - why him?"

"I dream about him, staring at me."

"I thought we were putting him behind us. What's the matter with you?"

"We need to stay together."

"Yes, we do." Trish nodded.

"No. Not you. Us."

Ross then started to glance around at this. Chloe continued "We need to stay together. And then it'll be all right." Trish walked over to Chloe, putting her hands on her daughters cheeks and Chloe flinched as she done so.

"Trish, the drawings - have you seen what Chloe's drawings can do?" Ratliff asked.

Trish all of a sudden became cold "Who gave you permission to come into her room? Get out of my house." She snapped at the both of them.

Ross looked at Chloe, speaking to her "Tell us about the drawings, Chloe."

"I don't wanna hear any more of this."

Ratliff then started to speak once more "But that drawing of her Dad... I heard a voice. He spoke."

"He's dead. And these - they're kids pictures. Now get out!"

"Chloe has a power," Ratliff continued on, ignoring Trish completely this time "And I don't know how, but she used it to take Danny Edwards. Dale Hicks - she's using it to snatch the kids."

"Get out."

Ratliff began to plead "Have you seen those drawings move?"

"I haven't seen anything." Trish spoke derisively.

"Yes you have," Ross started "out of the corner of your eye. And you dismissed it, because what choice do you have when you see something you can't possibly explain?" Ross moved over, closer to Trish "you ignore it, right? And if anyone mentions it, you get angry, so it's never spoken of, ever ag-"

"She's a child-"

"-And you're terrified of her. But there's no one to turn to, because who's gonna believe the things you see out of the corner of your eye? No one. Except me."

"Who are you?" Trish asked.

"I'm help."

* * *

**I know this chapter seems like it's starting off slow, but it's not bc everything basically happens in the next chapter which I'm gonna start writing now cx **

**6 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE**


	11. Fear Her: The Pod

**_Even though I didn't get more than 6 reviews, I had this chapter done and was getting impatient to update it :) So here you guys go! :D_**

_Flashbacks_

* * *

**_Fear Her: Part 2_**

Ross, Ratliff and Trish left Chloe's room and went back down into the kitchen for a while. They walked into the kitchen, Ross lent against the counter swiping a jar of marmalade off the work top, he screwed the lid and dipped his fingers into it beginning to suck the jam off. Ratliff turned his head and looked at Ross at what he was doing, he then cleared his throat telling him "no". Ross paused, looking at Ratliff who was shaking his head at him. Ross, look for all the world like a naught schoolboy caught red-handed, glanced over at Trish who was just stood there staring at him. He meekly put the lid back onto the jar and pushed it behind him on the counter.

Ratliff turned his head away from Ross and focused his attention back onto the important matter "Those pictures - they're alive. She's drawing people and they end up in her pictures."

"Ionic energy. Chloe's harnessing it to steal those kids and place them in some kind of holding-pen made up of ionic power." Ross added to it, to speak more scientifically. Hoping Trish would believe it now.

"And what about the Dad from hell in her wardrobe?"

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Trish asked, agitated "He's dead."

"Well, he's got a very loud voice for a dead bloke." Ratliff spoke disbelievingly.

Ross began to think for moment, once again speaking out loud doing so "If living things can become drawings, then maybe drawings can become living things..." Ross shivered violently, making Ratliff jump "Chloe's real dad is dead, but not the one who visits her in her nightmares. That Dad seems very real. That's the Dad she's drawn and he's a heartbeat away from crashing into this world..."

Trish started to speak, distracting Ross from his thoughts "She always got the worst of it when he was alive."

"Ross," Ratliff started "how can a twelve-year-old girl be doing any of this?"

Ross took a long pause "Let's go find out." He then stride off with Ratliff following him behind.

Ross, Ratliff and Trish all slowly entered Chloe's bedroom where she was sat cross-legged on her bed, Ross walked over and stood before her looking down at her. Chloe said nothing to any of them, but did the 'live long and prosper' sign. "Nice one," Ross nodded. Ross then knelt down in front of her, holding Chloe's head between his hands, his fingers on her temples. Soon her eyes rolled around in her head for a moment before finally closing. Ross shut his own eyes before suddenly Chloe fell backwards onto the bed. "There we go.."

Trish moved towards Ross and Chloe in her concern "I can't him do this-"

Ratliff stopped her, being comforting "Shh, it's okay. Trust him," He said, turning his head back to looking at Ross "I do."

Ross straightened up from where he was knelt, addressing Chloe "Now we can talk.

Chloe spoke, but her voice came out as a strange whisper - it obviously wasn't her voice "I want Chloe. Wake her up. I want Chloe."

"Who are you?" Ross asked.

"I want Chloe Webber!" It spoke through Chloe, with passion.

"What've you done to my little girl?" Trish asked, upset.

"Ross... what is it?" Ratliff asked, trying to keep Trish calm.

Ross walked slowly around the bed, all the while looking down at Chloe "I'm speaking to you. The entity that is using this human child. I request parlez in compliance with the Shadow Proclamation."

"I don't care about the shadows or parlez." 'Chloe' spoke.

"So what do you care about?"

"I want my friends."

Ross knelt down beside her "You're lonely, I know. Identify yourself."

"I am one of many. I travel with my brothers and sisters. We taken an endless journey. A thousand of your lifetimes. But now I am alone. I hate it. It's not fair. And I hate it!" 'Chloe's' eye's snapped out.

"Name yourself!"

"Isolus."

Ross spoke as if it explained everything "You're Isolus. If course."

"Our journey began in the Deep Realms when we were a family." She started drawing on a piece of paper that was next to her on the bed whilst speaking.

Trish looked down at the drawing "What is it?"

The drawing started to take shape. "The Isolus Mother. Drifting in Deep Space," He stood up from where he knelt "see, she jettisons millions of fledging spores. Her children. The Isolus are empathic beings of intense emotions, but when they're cast off from their mother, their empathic link, their need for each other, is what sustains them. They need to be together. They cannot be alone."

"Our journey is long."

Ross continued "The Isolus children travel, each inside a pod. They ride the heat and energy of solar tides. It takes thousands and thousands of years for them to grow up."

"Thousands of years just floating through space..." Ratliff said "poor things - don't they go mad with boredom?" He asked.

"We play." 'Chloe' spoke.

"You.. okay?" Ratliff asked.

Ross sat down on the bed "Mm. While they travel, they play games. They use their ionic power to literally create make-believe worlds in which to play."

"In-flight entertainment."

"Helps keep them happy. While they're happy, they can feed off each others love. Without it, they're lost," Ross returned to addressing Chloe/The Isolus "why did you come to Earth?"

"We were too close." 'Chloe'/The Islous spoke. She ripped the paper off the pad she was drawing on and started a new one.

Ross looked down at what 'Chloe' was drawing "That's a solar flare from your sun. Would've made a tidal wave of solar energy that scattered the Isolus pods."

"Only I fell to Earth. My brothers and sisters are left up there. And I cannot reach them. So alone."

"Your pod crashed... where is it?"

"My pod was drawn to heat. And I was drawn to Chloe Webber. She was like me. Alone. She needed me. And I her."

Ross stroked Chloe's head "You empathised with her. You wanted to be with her because she was alone like you."

"I want my family. It's not fair."

Ratliff and Trish watched as this went on, obviously affected by it. They knew what it was like to want their family back more than anything.

"I understand. You wanna make a family. But you can't stay in this child. It's wrong. You can't steal any more friends for yourself." Ross told her.

"I am alone."

A thump came from the wardrobe behind Ratliff and Trish, Trish gasped. "I'm coming to hurt you." Chloe's Dad spoke from inside the wardrobe.

Chloe, on the bed, started to shake and tremble with fear, although her faced remained impassive. There was a pounding on the door of the wardrobe. "I'm coming." Chloe's Dad continued.

"Trish," Ross looked over to her "how do you calm her?"

Chloe's body started to jerk as though she was having a seizure. "What?!"

"When she has nightmares, what do you do?" Ross asked.

"I... I..."

"What do you do!?" Ross asked, urgently.

"I sing to her."

"Then start singing!" Ross motioned for Trish to come over. Trish then took her place next to Chloe. "Chloe.. I'm coming.." Chloe's Dad said, from inside the wardrobe once more.

Trish then started singing "Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree, merry merry king of the bush is he..."

"Chloe... Chloe..."

The banging and thumping continued on the wardrobe door as Ross and Ratliff both looked over to it whilst Trish stroked Chloe's hair and tried to sooth her. "Chloe... Chloe..."

Trish continued on singing "Laugh, kookaburra laugh, Kookaburra, gay your life must be." The banging on the wardrobe and the voice eventually faded "laugh, Kookaburra laugh, Kookaburra, gay your life must be." Chloe soon then just fell asleep, by this point Trish was in tears "He came to her because she was lonely.. Chloe, I'm sorry.." She buried her head in her little girls shoulder, arms around her, sobbing.

A little while later, Trish stride into the living room and started gathering up all the pencils that were lying around as well as paper. "Chloe usually got the brunt of his temper. When he'd had a drink. The day he crashed the car. I thought we were free," She told them both, Ratliff handed Trish a bunch of pencils "I thought it was over."

"Did you talk to her about it?" Ratliff asked.

"I didn't want to."

Ratliff sat down "But.. maybe that's why Chloe feels so alone. Cause she has all these terrible dreams about her Dad, but she can't talk to you about them."

"Her and the Isolos," Ross said, starting to join in "two lonely kids who need each other."

"And it won't stop, will it, Ross? It'll just keep on pulling kids in."

"It's desperate to be loved. It's used to a pretty big family."

"How big?" Ratliff asked.

"Say around.. four billion?"

A stunned silence was drawn to both Trish and Ratliff. Instead of saying anything else, Ratliff just turned his attention to the TV screen.

Chloe sat in her room upstairs watching TV from her laptop in her bedroom - again, it is on BBC news 24, showing her the footage of the Olympics. As the commentator spoke, a small sound from the wardrobe caused Chloe to look around where then she stood up and moved off.

Ross shrugged on his coat as he and Ratliff left the house "We need that pod." He said.

"It crashed - won't it be destroyed?" Ratliff asked.

"Well, it's been sucking in all the heat it can... hopefully that should keep it in a fit state to launch," Ross explained to Ratliff, not knowing that Chloe was watching Ross through her bedroom window. Ratliff looked up to the window and spotted her outline "It must be close," Ross continued "it should have a weak energy signature that the TARDIS can trace. Once we find it, then we can stop the Isolus."

Chloe then moved away from the window. Sneakily, Chloe snuck downstairs, and unknowingly to Trish, she quietly opened up the front door and sneaked out.

Ross and Ratliff both approached the TARDIS "We can scan for the same trace we picked up from the scribble creature. Just need to widen the field a bit." Ross fished inside his pocket for the TARDIS key and opened up the door so he and Ratliff then entered it to go inside.

Chloe watched from the distance as Ross and Ratliff done so, taking in the sight of the TARDIS.

Ross fumbled with some device, putting it together. Ratliff just sat on the chair next to the console as he watched Ross do so "You knew the Isolus was lonely before it told you. How?" Ratliff asked.

Ross walked over to the chair and shoved Ratliff off it, sitting down on it himself "I know what it's like to travel a long way on your own. Give the stina magnetic erm..." Ross nodded towards it violently "thing in your left hand!"

Ratliff glanced at Ross, chewing on gum absent-mindedly "Sounds like you're on it's side." Ratliff slotted the thing he had in his left hand into the device, whilst Ross held it still between his legs. "I sympathise, that's all." Ross replied to Ratliff's previous comment.

"The Isolus has caused a lot of pain for these people."

"It's a child!" Ross raised his voice in annoyance. He blew on the device "that's why it went to Chloe. Two lonely mixed up kids." He blew on the device again, examining it.

"Hmm.. feels to me like a temper tantrum because it can't get it's way."

Ross gave Ratliff a look "It's scared! Come on, you were a child once. Binary dot."

Ratliff handed Ross the binary dot "Yes! And I know what kids can be like. Right little... terrors."

Back in Chloe's bedroom, she reached under her bed and took out a doll. She pulled off the had to it which revealed a lot of pencils stashed inside, where then she took them out, with the air of someone in a hurry.

Ross held out his hand under Ratliff's mouth "Gum." He said.

Ratliff spit out his gum into Ross's hand "I've got cousins. Kids can't have it all their own way. That's part of being a family. Don't forget, I practically raised Jenna by myself."

Ross stuck the gum from Ratliff's mouth to the device, securing it "What about trying to understand them?" He asked.

Ratliff turned away, with a slight smile "Easy for you to say, you don't have kids."

"I was a Dad once." Ross said, off-handedly.

Ratliff turned back to Ross, shocked and stunned "What did you say?"

Ross didn't notice the effect of his words it had on Ratliff, so he didn't reply to it "I think we're there!" Ross stood and went over to the console "Fear. Loneliness. They're the big ones, Ratliff. Some of the most terrible acts ever committed have been inspired by them. We're not dealing with something that wants to conquer or destroy."

Ratliff was still reeling from the bombshell Ross had just dropped on him, but Ross just carried on oblivious, pulling levers and pressing buttons on the console "There's a lot of things you need to get across this universe," Ross indicated "Warp drive.. wormhole refractors.." Ratliff held out his hand "You know the one thing you need most of all? You need a hand to hold." Ross noticed Ratliff's outstretched hand and took it, grinning.

"No! Look, I'm pointing." Ratliff laughed.

Ross looked at the computer screen where Ratliff was pointing - a flashing white light on a map of the neighbour hood indicated whereabouts of the pod. "It's the pod!" Ross spoke excitedly "It is in the street! Everything's coming up!" Ross scooted off towards the doors, Ratliff followed after a moment, still slightly distracted.

In Chloe's bedroom, she took a piece of paper where she started to draw the TARDIS.

Ross and Ratliff emerged from the TARDIS, Ross shut it behind them as they stepped out. "Okay, it's about two inches across. Dull gray, like a gulls egg. Very light."

Chloe had finished drawing the TARDIS, where now she was onto drawing Ross.

"So, these pods," Ratliff started to speak "they travel from sun to sun using heat, yeah? So it's not all about love and stuff. Doesn't the pod just need heat?"

A crash sounded from behind where Ratliff was walking, which caused him to turn around. He looked where the device he and Ross had just constructed was shattered on the floor, he looked up to go tell Ross he was an idiot for not holding it when he realised...

Ross was gone.

"Ross?" Ratliff called out, eyes wide in shock. He looked over to where the TARDIS... use to be. That was gone too. "ROSS!"

Moments later, Ratliff found himself knocking on the front door of Trish's house frantically. He knew exactly what had happened to Ross, and right now that wasn't good at all in the slightest. He kept on pounding the door as hard and as loud as he could until Trish finally opened the door, and once the door was open Ratliff just barged past Trish and ran up the stairs.

Trish started to follow Ratliff "It's okay! I've taken all the pencils off her!"

Ratliff then burst into Chloe's bedroom, where he crossed the room over to the desk, swiping away the paper Chloe is drawing on and observing Ross and the TARDIS sketched onto it. "Leave me alone. I want to be with Chloe Webber. I love Chloe Webber." The Isolus spoke from within Chloe.

"Bring him back now!" Ratliff demanded.

"No."

Ratliff turned away for a second, trying to calm himself down, but it didn't work. He then very suddenly spun around and grabbed Chloe by the shoulders, speaking viciously "Don't you realise what you've done? He's the only one who could help you, now bring him back!"

"Leave me alone! I love Chloe Webber!"

Ratliff's face softened as Trish watched. He spoke gently "I know," he stood up "I know.." he then turned his attention to the paper he was holding "Ross, if you can hear me, I'm gonna get you out of there. I'll find the pod," Ratliff then turned to Trish "Don't leave her alone, no matter what." Ratliff then quickly left the room.

Kel smoothed down the road outside with his hands as Ratliff exited the house. Ratliff looked around "Heat. They travel on heat." Ratliff said to himself.

"Look at this finish," Kel said to Ratliff who was standing on the street "smooth as a baby's bottom," Ratliff then hurried over to him "not a bump or a lump."

Ratliff crouched down on the floor to speak to Kel "Kel, was there anything in this street in the last few days giving off a lot of heat?" He asked.

Kel wasn't really listening to what Ratliff was saying, he was more focused on the tarmac he had just laid down "I mean, you can eat your dinner off this. Beautiful. So you tell me why the other ones got a lump in it when I gave it the same love and craftsmanship I did this one!"

Ratliff sighed "Well, when you've worked it out, put it in a big book about tarmacking, but before you do that - think back six days."

Kel done as Ratliff asked and started to think "Six days..." like a light bulb, it switched on in his head and he remembered "when I was laying this first time around!"

"What..?"

"Well, that's when I filled in this pothole for the first time."

Ratliff started to think hard "Six days ago..." he started to work it out "hot fresh tar.."

"Blended to a secret council recipe."

Without another word said, Ratliff stood up from where he was and ran over to the van. Kel called after him "Ah-ah! I don't keep it in the van!" he called. Ratliff wrenched open the doors, Kel stride towards him "Ay, that's a council van. Out."

Ratliff ignored what Kel was saying to him and climbed inside the back of the van, picking up an axe. He laughed with glee when he found it, hopping out of the van again. "Whoa, wait, wait, wait, you just removed a council axe from the council van. Put it back. No don't, wait - put the axe back in the van, that's my van, gimme the axe."

Ratliff swung the axe behind him, ready to bring it down hard on the road. "No! Wait! No!" Kel called out.

With a shout, Ratliff brought the axe crashing down the road, smashing through the tarmac. Kel started yelling, bewildered "No! You- stop!" Ratliff hacked at the road again, Kel became outraged "You just took a council axe - from a council van - and now you're digging up a council road! I'm reporting you to the council!"

Ratliff began to scrabble around the hole he had just made in the road where he found the pod lying there "It went for the hottest thing in the street. Your tar!" He said, Ratliff then laughed in delight.

"What is it?!" Kel asked.

"It's a spaceship! Not a council spaceship, I'm afraid." He then started to examine the pod. After the last, almost, 2 years travelling with Ross. His knowledge was finally starting to pay off on Ratliff.

Chloe started to bar her bedroom door with a chair, she then grabbed some pencils beneath the duvet cover and sat at her desk, pulling paper towards her and begins to draw. Her laptop was still showing the Olympics with a running commentary. She began to start drawing tinny faces on the paper, representing the crowds inside the Olympic stadium.

Ratliff burst through the front door of Trish and Chloe's house "I found it!" Ratliff went through the sitting room where Trish joined her "I don't know what to do with it, but maybe the Isolus will just hop on board," Ratliff then all of a sudden realised Trish was alone "Hang on, I told you not to leave her."

The TV commentator started to speak from the TV "My god. Er - what's going on here?"

Ratliff and Trish turned to the TV screen where they saw the crowds inside the stadium vanishing, leaving it deserted. Kel then appeared at the living room door "I don't care if you've got Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs buried under there, you don't go digging up-"

Ratliff pointed at the TV "Shut up and look!" Ratliff snapped at him, Kel looked over to the TV screen. Ratliff shook his head "The stadium won't be enough. The Isolus has four billion brothers and sisters."

Chloe watched it all on her laptop "Not enough..."

She stood up from her seat and rushed over to her shelves and grabbed an atlas and some pencils as well. She opened the book at a diagram of the Planet Earth, blue and green pencils at the ready "We won't be alone, Chloe Webber. We'll have all of them. And then we'll never feel alone. Ever again."

Ratliff charged up the stairs to Chloe's bedroom door holding up the axe, with Trish behind her. He tried the handle but the chair was obstructing the door from opening. "Chloe?" Trish asked.

"Chloe, it's Ratliff! Open the door!" He said, urgently.

At the sound of their voices, Chloe ripped off her magazine cuttings off the wall leaving a blank space where she started to draw.

"We found your ship! We can send you home!" Ratliff called, from the other side of the door.

"Chloe?!"

"Open up!" Ratliff turned to Trish "Right, stand back." Trish obeyed Ratliff and stood back.

Chloe had finished drawing the outline of the planet "I'm coming to hurt you..." Chloe's Dad spoke through the door.

Ratliff swung the axe round and brought it crashing down on the door. The wardrobe in Chloe's bedroom started to rattle as Chloe's Dad growled. Ratliff swung the axe again and again as many times as he could, splintering the wood.

Chloe started to draw faster, as if hurrying to finish it "I'm coming to hurt you..." Chloe's Dad growled.

Having made a large enough hole in the door to fit his arm through, Ratliff knocked the chair out of the way and opened up the door. He and Trish then rushed in "Chloe!" Ratliff yelled.

"I'm coming to hurt you..."

Chloe started to colour in the land green. "I'm coming..."

"I've gotta stop her." Ratliff said. Ratliff started going forward, but the wardrobe doors rattled particularly violently which made Ratliff step back.

"If you stop Chloe Webber, I will let him out. We will let him out together. I cannot be alone. It's not fair." The Isolus spoke through Chloe's body again.

Ratliff held out the pod in his hand to her "Look, I've got your pod."

"The pod it dead."

"It-it only needs heat.."

"It needs more than heat."

"What then?" Ratliff asked, desperately.

Kel walked through the door, joining Ratliff and Trish in the bedroom "I'm not being funny or nothing, but that picture just moved." He said, pointing to one of the wall. Ratliff and Trish looked to where he is pointing, he pointed to the one of Ross and the TARDIS "and that one!"

Ratliff picked up the drawing of Ross and the TARDIS where there was now a simple sketch of the Olympic Torch next to Ross - and he is pointing to it "She didn't draw that. He did. But it needs more than heat, Ross." Ratliff said.

He looked at the picture, feeling helpless. He turned his attention to the TV on the laptop, which was now showing the athlete running along the road with the Torch. The commentator started to speak "It's much more than a torch now, it's a beacon. It's a beacon of hope and fortitude and courage. And it's a beacon of love."

All of a sudden realisation came to Ratliff "Love..." He spoke with realisation. "I know how to charge up the pod." Ratliff then left the room as fast he could, Chloe still colouring in the Earth.

Ratliff jogged down the street where lots of people congregated at the end, cheering as the torch bearer passed by. Ratliff joined them by squeezing through the crowd to the front but was stopped by a police man. "Sorry, you'll have to watch from here." The police man said.

"No., I've gotta get closer!"

"No way!"

"I can stop this from happening!"

"Chloe..." Chloe's Dad spoke from within the wardrobe, getting closer.

Trish looked at the wardrobe as he did and back at Chloe "Chloe..."

"I'm coming to hurt you..."

Trish turned to the wardrobe, addressing it crying out of her mind with anxiety, clutching at her head "My baby! You're not going to hurt her again!"

"I'm coming..."

As the torch bearer began to pass by, the pod began to chirp in Ratliff's hand. He looked down at it "You felt it. Didn't you?"

Ratliff then backed out of the crowd, bringing his cupped hands to his mouth, whispering to the pod "Feel the love.." Ratliff threw it into the air where the pod was immediately drawn to the torch. The torch bearer staggered slightly as if falls into the flames, but dismisses it. Ratliff them jumped up and down with joy. "YES!"

Chloe had nearly finished colouring in the Earth, when suddenly she stopped and her eyes widened. "I can go home. Goodbye, Chloe Webber. I love you." The Isolus spoke through her. Chloe's eyes rolled in her head as the tiny Isolus emerged from her mouth and zoomed off through the window. As though she had just woken up, Chloe turned to Trish "Mum?"

"I'm here."

Chloe dropped her pencil "Mummy!" Chloe rushed into her mother's arms and hugged her. Trish hugged her back, overjoyed.

Ratliff was still cheering and whooping with delight, he threw his arms around Kel and hugged him. "You did it!" Kel then became confused "what was it you did?"

Ratliff grabbed Kel again and spun him around, laughing and bouncing up and down.

All of the missing children materialised out of the thin air, in the exact same spots from which they disappeared. Even the cat that had gone missing. Dale ran over to his mother, hugging her "Mummy!" He called.

Ratliff smiled as he watched Jane run to her mother. He was happy to see all the missing children reunited with their parents, but he seemed distant "Ross..." he said to himself.

Ratliff watched the happy families sadly, and jumped when Maeve touched her arm "I don't know who you are, or what you did, but thank you darling!" Maeve stood on her tip toes, so Ratliff bent down a little bit, and Maeve kissed Ratliff's cheek. Making Ratliff laugh a little "And thank your boyfriend for me too!" She said walking away.

"He's not my-" Ratliff just stopped and sighed, turning around and scanning the street with growing anxiety. His voice started to shake "Where is he? He should be here..." he watched as the happy children played on the street "All the drawings have come to life," Ratliff looked up to Chloe's bedroom window "that means all of them..."

A red light then began to fill Chloe's bedroom, where Ratliff heard the sound of Chloe's Dad growling. "Oh no..." Ratliff then ran towards the house.

Chloe and Trish walked down the stairs together when all of the sudden the front door slammed shut of it's own accord. Trish walked over to it, trying to open it, but it is stuck fast. The other doors in the hallway slammed shut too, leaving them trapped.

Ratliff rushed over to the front door and banged on it, speaking urgently through the glass "Trish, get out!"

"I can't the doors stuck!"

"Is Ross in there?" Ratliff asked.

"I don't think so!"

"Mummy..." Chloe said, becoming scared.

Dust shook from the ceiling as the sound of heavy footsteps could be heard from overhead, accompanied by the red light. "Chloe, I'm coming to hurt you.." Chloe's Dad spoke.

"Please, Dad. No more.." Chloe said, plaintive.

"Chloe..."

Ratliff started to speak fast "Chloe, listen to me. It isn't real like the others. It's just energy left over by the Isolus, but you can get rid of it-"

Trish banged on the door "Help us!"

"Oh it's cause you're so scared that he's real! But you can get shot of him, Chloe!"

Chloe casts terrified looks over her shoulder to Trish "Mummy!"

"You can do it Chloe!" Ratliff said through the door.

"I can't!"

"Chloe... I'm coming..." Chloe's Dad spoke again.

Chloe sunk to the bottom of the door, hunched up and terrified, giving up. "I can't...I can't..." The shadow then appeared on the wall of the landing.

"I'm coming..."

"Mummy..."

"Chloe..."

Trish put her arms around Chloe "I'm with you, Chloe. You're not alone. You'll never be alone again."

Ratliff started pounding on the door "Sing again! Chloe, sing!" he yelled from the outside.

"Chloe..." Her Dad said getting closer.

Chloe started to sing the Kookaburra song again, but it could barely be heard over Chloe's Dad's roars as his shadow came closer. "Chloe... Chloe... Chloe, I'm coming to hurt you."

Trish started to join her in the song.

"Chloe!"

As Trish and Chloe's voices became stronger, his came weaker. His shadow started retreating and the light faded, he roared with anger, but the sound was distant. Chloe and Trish laughed with relief, but carried on singing "Merry merry king of the bush is he.."

Ratliff, sighing with relief, slide down the door, sinking to the ground.

"Laugh, Kookaburra laugh," they continued on singing until he was completely gone "Kookaburra, gay your life must be."

They then looked at each other, smiling.

Outside, Kel approached a desolate Ratliff "Maybe he's gone somewhere."

Ratliff was sad, very sad "Who's gonna hold his hand now?"

At that moment, Kel didn't quite know what to say in that moment.

Later, Chloe and Trish stood in the sitting room watching the TV - the crowds had finally returned to the stadium. The commentator spoke "Just look at this! Utterly incredibly scenes at the Olympics stadium - eighty thousand athletes and spectators, they disappeared - they've come back!"

Trish and Chloe looked up as Ratliff and Kel enter to watch as the commentator continued on speaking "They've returned. They've reappeared. It's quite incredible. Bob, this will certainly..."

Ratliff was completely lost by this point, all of these people had returned back to where they had disappeared and there was no Ross. He was almost close to tears "Eighty thousand people, so where's Ross..?" he wiped his eyes as he was almost about to cry "I need him."

The commentator continued on speaking the background "The torch bearer seems to be in a bit of trouble. We did see a flash of lightening earlier which seemed to strike him... erm, maybe he's injured... he's definitely in trouble."

The torch bearer than collapsed onto the floor. "Does this mean that the Olympic dream is dead?" The commentator continued.

Just then, a familiar black arm from a coat picked up the torch from the ground. A smile spread across Ratliff's face "Ross.."

Ross started to run with the torch alongside the side the crowd as Trish, Chloe, Ratliff and Kel all watched on the TV screen. Ratliff laughed in relief and joy as he saw him.

Ross ran up the red carpeted stairs with the torch, the spot light following him. Ross faced the crowd as he got to the top of the stairs with a huge grin on his face, whooping. He then lit the Olympic flame "Go on. Join your brothers and sisters. They'll be waiting.." He spoke to the pod. The crowd screamed and cheered as this happened.

The Isolus, unseen by anyone but Ross, rised up into the air and away into the night.

Later that night, Ross walked back down the street he was on with Chloe and everyone else's house with his hands down on his pockets. Man was he glad to be back and not stuck in some drawing. Ratliff creeped up behind Ross with a cheeky grin on his face "Cake?" he asked.

Ross turned around to find Ratliff holding up a cake with edible ball bearings on, the ones he was talking about earlier when they first got here. Ross started to laugh and as did Ratliff. Ross took it from him "Your a top banana!" he took a bite out of it as Ratliff watched, grinning from ear to ear "Mm. I can't stress this enough. Ball bearings you can eat - masterpiece!"

Ratliff watched Ross for a few more seconds and then threw his arms around him, holding him tight "Ooh, I thought I'd lost you.." he said.

"Nah! Not on a night like this! This is a night for the lost things being found. Come on!"

Both of them turned around, walking down the road together. "What now?" Ratliff asked.

"I wanna go to the games! What we came for!"

Ratliff let out a small laugh, still smiling "Go on - give us a clue - which events do we do well in?" He asked.

Ross's mouth was still full of cake "Well, I will tell you this: Papua New Guinea surprised everyone in the shot put."

"...Really? You're joking, aren't you?" Ratliff chuckled "Ross, are you serious or are you joking?"

"Wait and see!"

Fireworks exploded over head as Ross and Ratliff walked down the road, close together hand in hand. "You know; they keep on trying so split us up, but they never ever will." Ratliff said, looking up at the sky as the fireworks went off.

Ross looked at Ratliff, coming to a halt "Never say never ever."

Ratliff spoke with confidence "Nah. We'll always be okay, you and me," Ratliff looked at Ross, but he got no reply from him "Don't you think, Ross?" He asked.

Ross looked up to the sky, reflecting for a moment - as if he senses something. In which he did sense something.. something very bad.

"There's something in the air... something's coming.."

Ratliff then looked up to the sky also "What?"

Both of them looked up as the sky was full of fireworks "A storms approaching..." Ross said.

Ratliff glanced over at Ross, nervously.

**2 Months Later**

**Ratliff's P.O.V**_  
_

Planet Earth.

This is where I was born.

And this is where I died.

_Ratliff walked out of the house and made his way down the street to go to work, working at a shop wasn't exactly the most exciting job in the world but hey-ho.. a jobs a job and if it gives him money he really doesn't care in the slightest._

For the first eighteen years of my life, nothing happened. Nothing at all. Not ever.

(A smile creeps up in his tone) And then I met a guy called Ross.

_That time, Ratliff never got chance to duck because at that point he was flung to the floor by someone. He landed on the floor, back first, with the person who'd saved him from whatever the thing was right there on top of him. He looked to see that blonde guy from earlier "You!" Ratliff said._

_"No time for hello's just get up and run!" The blonde said, jumping from the floor before he dragged Ratliff up by his hands quickly._

_Ratliff watched as Ross just pranced around the TARDIS by the console, pressing buttons and pulling leavers as he was full of energy and enthusiasm which made Ratliff smile like a complete idiot. He loved it when Ross was happy._

He was a guy who wasn't from here, originally. He was from some other way, far, far away in some other galaxy. But that didn't stop me from how I felt about him and the way I looked at him. And he took me away from home in his magical machine.

_Ross spun around with a triumphant "ha!", eyes wide with glee. Ratliff just shook his head, smiling, as he put his head in his hands._

_Ross and Ratliff ran down an ordinary street, when Ross just randomly grabbed his hand and began to run with him faster. Running happily together._

He showed me the WHOLE of time and space. I thought it would never end.

_Ross and Ratliff stood a short way away from the TARDIS on some rocky alien planet that Ross had decided to take them too, watching as weird, harmful creatures flew by looking at the sunset. Ross turned his head, smiling, looking at Ratliff "How long are you planning on staying with me?" Ross asked._

_Ratliff looked at him "Forever."_

_Both of them smiled._

At least, that's what I thought.

But then came the army of ghosts. Then came Torchwood and the War.

And that's when it all ended.

This is the last story I'll ever tell.

**Next: Army Of Ghosts (2 Parts)**

**Then: Doomsday (3 Parts)**

**Later: The Runaway Bride (2 Parts)**

**After: Lynch & Marano (2 Parts)**

* * *

***ducks from thrown objects* I don't think you guys are gonna be looking forward to the next chapter now.. are you...? Neither do I... lol.**

**I think if some of you got by "This is the last story I'll tell" meant... then.. I'm pretty much dead. so BYE.**

**6 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE. **


	12. Army Of Ghosts: Torchwood

**Hey guys! :) This took me FOREVER to write because I wanted it to be a long one :) It's over 8,000 words! :D So... Make the most of it lol.**

**Enjoy! :D **

* * *

_**Army Of Ghosts: Part 1**_

1 Week Earlier

The TARDIS materialised in a children's play area, which wasn't too far from where Ratliff lived. He was just going home to see Jenna for a little bit as well as to get some clean clothes because he was starting to run out. Badly. He stepped out of the TARDIS hold a large red rucksack, which he slung onto his back. Ross followed, locking the TARDIS, and they set off towards the flats where Ratliff lived with a spring in their step, obviously at peace with the world.

Jenna stood inside the kitchen, doing some of the washing up. Which wasn't unusual for her. Even when Ratliff was here he never did any of it, it was always her. She was just washing away like Snow White when she heard Ratliff calling out from the front door. "Jenna? Are you home? Oh who am I kidding.. Obviously your home otherwise the front door wouldn't be open."

Jenna immediately became excited, hurrying out into the living room where Ross and Ratliff both came through together. "Oh, I don't know why you bother with that phone! You never use it!" Jenna said, almost, yelling at him, exasperated and pleased at the same time.

Ratliff just grinned "Shut up and just come here."

Both of them threw threw their arms around each other for a hug. "I love you." Jenna said.

"I love you too."

Ross decided he would squeeze past Jenna and Ratliff whilst they had their little moment together, to try sidle off. But it was no use as Jenna caught him "Oh no you don't," Jenna said grabbing him "come here!" She pulled Ross towards her, planting kisses all over his face and lips, despite Ross's weak protests as she hugged him at the same time "Oh, you big lovely fella! Oh, your all mine!" Jenna said, hugging and kissing him, speaking to him as if he was a puppy or a kitten or a toddler.

"Just-Just- just put me down!" Ross tried to protest, Ratliff laughing in the background.

"Yes, you are!"

Jenna kissed Ross once more and walked off, leaving Ross to wipe his mouth with the back of his hand, looking like a little boy with over-affectionate mother. Both Jenna and Ross then followed Ratliff into the living room. Ratliff took off his backpack and dumped it into Jenna's arms "I've got LOADS of washing for ya! And - I got you this!" He pulled out of his pocket, showing Jenna, a tiny ornate bottle with a wide grin on his face "it's from the market on this asteroid bazaar. It's made of um..." Ratliff turned to Ross "what's it called?"

When Ratliff looked at Ross, he was just flicking through magazines what were lying on the table "Bezoolium." He replied, not taking his eyes off the magazines. Letting Jenna and Ratliff get on with their little family reunion.

Ratliff looked back at Jenna "Bezoolium. When it gets cold, yeah, it means its gonna rain - when it's hot, it means it's gonna be sunny! You can use it to tell the weather!"

Jenna smiled, taking it from Ratliff when all of a sudden she remembered something "Oh! I've got a surprise for you too!"

"'Thank you Ratliff, your the best big brother ever!' You know what Jenna, your the best little sister ever- Can you believe that?" Ratliff asked, turning to Ross "I get her a bezoolum - she doesn't even say 'thanks'."

"Guess who's coming to visit! You're just in time - he'll be here at ten past! Who do you think it is?"

Ratliff shrugged, putting his hands into his pockets "Dunno."

Jenna shoved him "Go on guess!"

"No, I hate guessing. Just tell me."

Jenna became so pleased and way over excited about it "It's Grandma! She's on her way! Any minute now!" at that point Ratliff just stared on at Jenna in disbelief as if she was going insane "right, I'll go get some drinks." She said, disappearing off into the kitchen.

Ratliff just stared after Jenna. Ross put down the magazines on the table, appearing at Ratliff's shoulder. "She's gone mad.." Ratliff said, stunned still staring at her.

Ross also stared after Jenna, letting out a scoff "Tell me something new."

"No, Ross.. My Grandma. Our Grandma. The one that took us both in after our Mom died. She died when I was like fifteen or sixteen.. and I'm almost twenty now!" Ratliff sighed, rubbing his temples "oh my god. She's lost it," Ratliff walked through into the kitchen with Ross following, addressing Jenna "Jenna?"

Both boys stood in the doorway of the kitchen "What you just said about Grandma..."

"Any second now." she said.

Ratliff started to speak gently, trying not to trigger anything with her incase she started breaking down "But.. she passed away, remember? Her heart gave out. Do you remember that?"

"Course I do!" Jenna spoke lightly.

Ratliff paused for a brief moment, confused "...Then how can she come back? Cause... I went to that Parallel World remember? Only Matty and Mom were there. Matty told me Grandma's not there either. Only Matty, Mom and now Ryan..."

Jenna laughed "I know that," She said "why don't you ask him yourself?" Jenna asked, looking at her watch "ten past. Here she comes."

And right before Ross and Ratliff's eyes, a figure stepped out of nowhere into the middle of the kitchen. The figure was featureless and just dull gray, like a shadow, but it was definitely humanoid. It walked over and stood beside Jenna. Ross and Ratliff just both stared on at the figure dumbstruck.

"Grandma. Say hello to Ratliff, well Ellington.. seen as though it's what you called him."

All of a sudden Ross and Ratliff both burst out of a side-door of the block of flats at a run, with Jenna following close behind. Both of them came to a halt, looking around. "They're everywhere!" Ross called out, confused.

Sure enough, the ghosts were everywhere, standing around just like ordinary people and no one seemed to remotely alarmed by their presence. A group of boys who were just a short distance away carried on with their ball game they were playing. Ratliff turned around "Ross look out!"

Ross turned around where a ghost walked right through him, causing him discomfort but no pain. Jenna finally caught up to them both "They haven't got long. Midday shift only lasts a couple of minutes. They're about to fade." She told them.

"What do you mean, SHIFT?" Ross asked, looking at Jenna "since when did ghosts have shifts? Since when did shifts have ghosts? What's going on?"

"Oh, he's not a happy man when I know more than him is he?"

At this point Ross was completely baffled "But no ones running or screaming or freaking out or-"

"Why should we?" Jenna asked. She then looked down to her watch "here we go. Twelve minutes past." Jenna smiled at Ratliff, biting her lip in anticipation.

Within seconds, the ghosts disappeared. Ross took glances around, looking even more confused then he did before. He shook his head, turning around as the three of them headed back into the flat.

Ross sat on the floor in front of Jenna's TV, Jenna sat on the sofa with Ratliff perched on the arm. The three of them were all watching a program called "Ghostwatch". "On today's Ghostwatch," The presenter started speaking "claims that some of the ghosts are starting to speak, and there seems to be a regular formation gathering around Westminster Bridge," the footage on the TV then cut to the ghosts milling around Westminster Bridge "it's almost like a military display."

Ross's brow furrowed as they watched the TV "What the hells going on?" He changed the channel over to what appeared to be a weather forecast - but instead of weather symbols being there, there were pictures of little ghosts on the make of the UK. He turned the channel over to the Trisha Goddard chat show where the caption at the bottom of the screen proclaimed "I married a dead man!" and at this point, Ross was completely done with this whole thing. Once again, he turned over the channel where it came up with that medium guy Derek Acorah saying how nobody needed him any more because of the ghosts.

Again, he changed the channel where it showed a cheesy advert of a housewife in a flowery apron, addressing the camera in her kitchen while a sad-looking animated ghosts hovered around above the work top. Before the advert could even continue, Ross turned it over again where a French News Channel came up, where footage showed of ghosts wandering around the Eiffel Tower. Changed the channel - an Indian News Reporter, ghosts were milling around the Taj Mahal. He again changed the channel where an enthusiastic Japanese News reader was. Ross just put his head in his hands. "Oh, yes!" Jenna called out.

The footage cut to three Japanese girls, all screeching wildly and showing off their ghost t-shirts. "It's all over the freaking world..." Ross said, changing the channels over and over until it landed on an episode of Eastenders with Peggy and some ghost stood at the bar.

Now it really had crossed the line.

Ross had enough and switched off the TV, turning to Jenna "When did it start?" Ross asked.

"Well first of all, Peggy heard this noise in the cellar, so she goes down-"

"No, I mean worldwide." Ross cut her off, stopping from going any further. Ratliff smirked.

"Oh!" Jenna said, finally realising how much of an idiot she sounded. But not showing it "that was about two months ago. Just happened. Woke up one morning and there they all were, ghosts everywhere. We all ran around screaming and that, whole planet was panicking... no sign of YOU, thank you very much... then it sort of sank in. Took us time to realise that... we're lucky."

Ratliff looked at Jenna, wondering "What makes you think it's Grandma?"

Jenna just shrugged, she never actually knew why she felt like it was her "Just feels like her. There's that smell, those old cigarettes. Can't you smell it?"

"I wish I could, Jen, but I can't..." Ratliff said, gently.

Jenna turned slightly on the chair looking up at Ratliff "You've got to make an effort. You've got to WANT it."

"The more you want it, the stronger it gets?" Ross asked.

Jenna nodded "Sorta, yeah."

Ross got into a more comfortable position, getting ready to ruin this whole ghost experience Jenna and the rest of the world were having. It's funny all this started two months ago, because himself and Ratliff were in 2012 two months ago.. and it's almost 2007 now. Obviously Ross and Ratliff are going to find a solution to stop this, given what they've already seen. But at what cost? Ross really couldn't help but get a bad feeling about once that this was all over... it would only end in tears and heartbreak.

He looked over to Jenna, ready to explain "Like a psychic link. Course you want your old Gran to be alive, but you're wishing him into existence. The ghosts are using that to pull themselves in."

"You're spoiling it."

Ross shrugged "Sorry, Jenna. But there's no smell, there's no cigarettes. Just a memory."

"But if they're not ghosts, what are they, then?" Ratliff asked, turning his head to Ross.

"Yeah, but they're human! You can see them - they LOOK human!" Jenna protested.

Ratliff nodded, agreeing with Jenna "She's got a point. I mean, they're all sort of blurred, but they're definitely people."

"Maybe not," Ross started to say thoughtfully "they're pressing themselves into the surface of the world. But a footprint doesn't look like a boot." and with that, Ross stood up.

A while later, Ratliff walked into the TARDIS holding a newspaper where Ross was wedged under the console looking for something. Ratliff lent against the console, reading out some of the news too him "According to the paper, they've elected a ghost as MP for Leeds," Ratliff then peered down at Ross underneath the console "now don't tell me you're gonna sit back and do nothing."

Ross suddenly popped up from underneath the grilling, with a strange looking device in one hand and wearing a rucksack. And if they were both honest, it looked like it was something from Ghost Busters. So when Ross popped up suddenly from beneath the grilling, he was bopping insanely whilst singing the Ghost Busters tune "Who're you gonna call?"

"Ghost Busters!" Ratliff called out, laughing with a huge smile on his face.

"I ain't afraid of no ghosts." Ross then left the TARDIS, Ratliff following him laughing.

Jenna waited for them both outside the TARDIS when both of them came out of it. Ross arranged three cone devices in a triangular shape so what he was about to do would work. He turned to Jenna "When's the next shift?" He asked.

Jenna looked at her watch "Quarter to. But don't go causing trouble," Jenna warned "What's that lot do?" She asked.

"Triangulates their point of origin."

"I don't suppose it's the Gelth?" Ratliff asked, thoughtfully. Ross shook his head 'no' at Ratliff. Ratliff, himself, shook his head as though that was the answer he was expecting, because it was.

"They were just coming through one little rift. This lot are transporting themselves over the whole planet. Like tracing paper."

Jenna folded her arms, speaking crossly/angrily at Ross "You always do this. Reducing it to science. Why can't it be real?" Ross just ignored Jenna "just think of it, though.. all the people we've lost - our families coming back home. Don't you think it's beautiful?"

Ross paused in his work, meeting Jenna in the eyes for the first time "I think it's horrific." Jenna looked at Ross, mildly shocked. "Ratliff, give us a hand." He said, getting back to work. He started unwinding a cable, leading it through into the TARDIS with Ratliff following close behind making sure it went in and none of it got stuck as he done so. Ross plugged one end of the wire into the console. Jenna stepped inside of the TARDIS, closing the door behind her.

Ross started to explain to Ratliff at break-neck speed of what he had to do "As soon as it becomes activated, if that line goes into red, press that button there. If it doesn't stop..." Ross brandishes the sonic screwdriver under Ratliff's nose, making him go cross-eyed trying to focus on it "Setting 15B, hold it against the port, eight seconds and stop."

"15B, eight seconds.." Ratliff repeated to himself.

"If it goes into blue, activate the deep scan on the left."

"Hang on a minute, I know..." He lent over the console, pointing to a button on it.

"Mm, close."

Ratliff lent a bit further over the console, pointing to another button "That one?" He asked.

Ross squinted his face, a worried unsure facial expression "Now you just killed us."

Ratliff laughed, not noticing how Jenna was looking over at them both. It was kind of a fed up and disappointed look at what they were trying to do, but also happy at how the both of them were getting on together and looking at each other with so much love that even Jenna herself could feel it in her gut. She sighed. She knew that they were in love too, just by looking at them. That, and one night Ross and Ratliff both came back for a few days and Ratliff ended up telling Jenna he loved him. Needless to say, Jenna could easily see Ross felt the same way. But how much more longer were they going to wait to tell each other they loved one another?

Cause for all they know, this could be the last day they're together and before they know it, it'll be too late and they won't be able to say 'I love you' because they'll never see each other again. Even though Jenna knows that's NOT going to happen. Especially by the way Ross gets protective over making sure Ratliff stays safe.

"Eh.. That one?" Ratliff asked, pointing to another button.

Ross nodded, smiling "Yeah! Now your learning!" He patted Ratliff on the back "what've we got? Two minutes?" Ross looked over to Jenna who looked down at her watch.

Ratliff plunged the sonic screwdriver into a port on the console. At the same moment, Ross pressed the device he was holding earlier onto one of the cones. He proceeded to do the same to the other two. He shouted through the open TARDIS doors to Ratliff "What's the line doing?" He asked, raising his voice.

Ratliff yelled back "It's alright, it's holding!"

Jenna had been contemplating Ratliff for the past few minutes ever since they started doing this thing with the ghosts when she finally started to speak "You even look like him?" Jenna questioned.

"How'd you mean?" Ratliff asked. He then smiled "I suppose I do, yeah."

"You've changed so much.." Jenna said, shaking her head just a little.

"For the better..."

Jenna whispered "I suppose."

Ratliff turned, looking at her "Jenna... I used to work in a SHOP."

"I've worked in shops! What's wrong with that?" Jenna asked, defensively.

Ratliff shook his head "No, I didn't mean that!"

Jenna nodded "I know what you meant, but what happens when I'm gone?" She asked.

Ratliff became shocked "Don't you dare talk like that Jenna!" He raised his voice "there's more chance of me dying before you do!"

Jenna rolled her eyes, putting her hands on her hips becoming serious "No, but really. Say if for some odd reason I end up dying so I'm dead and buried... You won't have any reason to come back. What happens then?"

Ratliff shrugged "I don't know.." He said, quietly.

"Do you think you'll ever settle down?"

"Ross never will, so I can't. I'll just keep on travelling."

"And you'll keep on changing," Jenna immediately said "and in forty years time, fifty, there'll be this man - this strange man... walking through the market place on some planet a billion miles from Earth. He's not Ellington Ratliff. Not anymore.. He's not even human."

Before Ratliff could say anything, Ross's voice broke the moment from outside "RATLIFF!"

"The scanner's working - it says 'delta one six'!" Ratliff shouted out to him.

Ross watched the triangle, where a ghost soon materialised in it's centre moments later. As it did so, the cones were connected with blue electricity, which connected over the top of the ghost, encompassing it in a kind of electric blue pyramid.

From inside the TARDIS, Jenna and Ratliff watched what was going on from outside on the monitor with amazement.

Ross took out of his pocket a pair of 3D glasses and watched the ghost as he put them on. He bent down to the floor and adjusted the settings on the equipment where a green light blipped. Ross continued on to adjust the knob as the ghost shuddered and groaned, Ross laughed "Don't like that much, do you?" Ross then lowered his voice, speaking under his breath "Who are you? Where are you coming from? WHOA!" All of a sudden he received an electric shock from the ghost, and he stumbled backwards onto the floor "That's more like it!" Ross spoke triumphantly "not so friendly NOW, are you?"

The ghost just continued to shudder and jerk within the triangle as it became less friendly.

A few moments later, the ghost disappeared and Ross immediately darted forward beginning to gather up the equipment from the floor incase anybody came along and spotted them. Though a play area in a park wasn't exactly the best place, was it?

Ross dashed into the railing inside the TARDIS, throwing his coat over it. "I said so!" Ross spoke excitedly "Those ghosts have been FORCED into existence for one specific point! And I can track down the source. Allons-Y!" He pulled down a lever, the TARDIS shuddered and he and Ratliff fell backwards onto the chair as the rotor rises and falls.

Ross started twiddling knobs on the console, nattering away to himself "I like that. 'Allons-Y!'. I should say 'allons-y' more often. 'Allons-Y'. Watch out, Ellington Ratliff! Allons-y! And THEN, it would be really brilliant if I met someone called Allonzo. Because then I would say, 'allons-y Allonzo'! Every time!" Ross looked at Ratliff, realising he was staring at him "You're staring at me..."

Ratliff had been listening to Ross rattle off, looking at him with a strange smile "Jenna's still on board.." Ratliff said quietly, so Jenna didn't hear him.

Jenna was sat up in the gantries, legs dangling "If we end up on Mars, I'm gonna kill you." She folded her arms as Ross stared up at Jenna horrified. As for Ratliff, he was enjoying every single second of this with a huge smirk on his face.

The TARDIS materialised in what appeared to be a storage area at some place called "Torchwood", Ratliff just got chills down his spine looking at that name for some reason. Maybe it was for the fact that there was one in the Parallel World that Matty worked at? Like he told him.. Maybe. As they watched on the monitor, soldiers burst in through the doors, holding guns, shouting and getting into positions around the outside of the TARDIS.

Ross, Ratliff and Jenna watched this all on the monitor. Ross sighed "Oh, well there goes the advantage of surprise. Still! Cuts to the chase. Stay in here, look after Jenna." he made his way to the door.

Ratliff trailed after him "I'm not looking after my sister!"

"Well, you brought her!"

"I was kidnapped!" Jenna said indignantly.

Ratliff pushed past Ross, blocking the doorway so he couldn't get past him "Ross, they've got guns..." He said, warningly.

"And I haven't," Ross said "Which makes me the better person, don't you think?" Ross caught Ratliff around his waist and moved him out of the way, smoothly "They can shoot me dead, but the moral high-ground is mine." And with that, he opened up the doors and stepped through it.

Ross raised his hands as he stepped through the doors of the TARDIS, the soldiers released the safety catches on their guns - every single gun was pointed at Ross. Whilst this happened, Ratliff and Jenna watched through a crack in the door unseen by the people out there.

Then a girl with big golden hair, wearing a black long sleeved dress that went down to about her knees walked into the room, running towards Ross "Oh..!" She started to get excited "Oh, how marvelous!" She started to clap "Oh, very good. Superb. Happy day!" the soldiers followed suit and done the same as the girl Yvonne, was doing and applauded Ross.

Ross didn't quite know how to respond to the make of this reception. He lowered his hands tentatively "Um. Thanks. Nice to meet you. I'm... Ross."

And by him just saying that, it set them all off clapping for him again. Confusion had never hit Ross harder. "Oh, I should say! Hurray!" Yvonne clapped.

"You.. You've heard of me, then?"

"Well of course we have. And I have to say, if it wasn't for you, none of us would BE here. Ross AND the TARDIS..!" Overcome, she started the applause again.

Ross, clearly enjoying this just a little bit, gestured for silence "And.. and.. and you are?" He asked.

"Oh, plenty of time for that. But according to the records, you're not one for travelling alone. Ross and his companion. That's a pattern isn't it, right?" Yvonne asked. Ross just stared at Yvonne, scared and amazed at how she knew all of this about him. Her voice suddenly adapted a slightly sinister quality "There's no point in hiding anything. Not from us," she then smiled "So.. where is he? This Ratliff guy."

Ross paused, before finally coming back down to Earth. "...Yes! Sorry. Good point. He's just a bit shy, that's all." Ross opened the door a little bit more, feeling around for Ratliff and pulling him out. Except... it wasn't Ratliff he pulled out.

It was Jenna. "But here he is: Ellington Ratliff!"

Ratliff face palmed from inside the TARDIS, but listened not making a sound.

Ross looked beside him, his eyes widened and he looked Jenna up and down realising it wasn't actually Ratliff. He sighed, shutting his eyes. This is where the lying was going to have to start... he turned his head looking at Yvonne then back at Jenna "Hmm.. 'He's' NOT the best I've ever had. Bit too.. brown haired. Not too steady on her pins. A lot of that," He said mimicking chatter, making Jenna glare at him. Yvonne laughed. He looked at Yvonne "Yes.. Um.. Ellington Ratliff.. Boys name right? Well.. get ready for this one.. it'll be good.." Ross sighed, putting his hand on his hips, buffing out his cheeks trying to think of something. He took a deep breath "He... Yes.. He.. He USE to be a boy. But... now he's a girl. Because... just last week... he stared into the heart of the Time Vortex and ended up changing gender.. aging just a little younger than he was before. But I guess, he's still young and okay. So he'll do."

Jenna slapped Ross "I'm a girl not a boy!"

Ross shook his head at Jenna, looking back at Yvonne "Deluded. Bless him. I'll have to trade him in. Do you need anyone? He's very good at tea. Well, I say very good, I mean not bad. Well. I say not bad.. anyway! Lead on. But not too fast. He's still experiencing effects from the vortex. His ankles going.. gets younger he's really getting old you see."

Yvonne turned around to lead the way, Ross and Jenna then followed her behind closely.

Jenna hissed at Ross "I'll show you where my ankles going in a minute."

"Just be thankful that Ratliff actually has looked into the heart of the vortex.." Ross mumbled to her.

"He has?"

"Yeah, just don't call him Bad Wolf.. he may just snap at you."

Ratliff watched on the monitor in the TARDIS as this all happened, watching them leave.

Yvonne gladly lead Ross and 'Ratliff' through a doorway leading to somewhere "It was only a matter of time until you found us. And at last you've made it. I'd like to welcome you, Ross."

They turned a corner where they came to two double doors, she pushed them both open which revealed a huge factory floor, full of alien artifacts and scientists working on them.

"Welcome... to Torchwood."

Ross started staring at all of the outer galaxy things this "Torchwood" had in their little factory room. So god knows what they were planning on doing to him "Oh my god.. that's a Jathar Sunglider."

"Came down to Earth off the Shetland Islands ten years ago."

"What? Did it crash?" Ross asked, as the three of them looked at it along with a couple of soldiers that were following them.

"No, we shot it down. It violated our airspace. Then we stripped it bare. The weapon that destroyed the Sycorax on Christmas Day? That was us! Now if you'd like to come with me."

Jenna shared an incredulous glance with Ross whilst Yvonne lead them on. They found this way too creepy and weird that they had all this stuff.. and now they had Ross. They were planning something.. or at least getting themselves into some sort of trouble. He could feel it.

Yvonne continued on from what she had just previously said "The Torchwood institute has a motto: 'if it's alien, it's ours". Anything that comes from the sky - we strip it down, and we use it. For the good of the British Empire."

"For the good of the what?" Jenna asked.

"The British Empire."

"There isn't one.."

"Not yet. Ah, excuse me.." She took a weapon from soldier, turning around showing Ross it "Now if you wouldn't mind.. do you recognise this, Ross?"

"That's a particle gun."

"Good, isn't it?" Yvonne smiled. Jenna tried to touch the gun, but Yvonne wrenched it from her grasp and ignored the interruption "Took us eight years to get it to work..."

"It's the twenty first century. You can't HAVE particle guns."

Yvonne shrugged "We must defend our border against the alien." She handed the particle gun back to the soldier "Thank you.. Sebastian, isn't it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Yvonne smiled "Thank you, Sebastian," She turned around facing Ross and 'Ratliff' again "I think it's VERY important to know everyone by name. Torchwood is a very modern organisation. People skills. That's what it's all about these days," She smiled smugly "I'm a people person."

Jenna just rolled her eyes at Yvonne. She hadn't been left alone with Ross for five minutes and already she was hating it. "Have you got anyone called Allonzo?" Ross asked, looking at Yvonne. Hey, if they're calling people by their first name and something's going to happen Ross might as well make something out of the 'allons-y Allonzo' thing.

"No, I don't think so. Is that important?"

Ross sighed, disappointed "I suppose not. What's your name?" He asked. He walked off to examine other artifacts that were around his atmosphere.

"Yvonne. Yvonne Hartman."

Ross ended up pulling out a large device from the box. It was black and big, bigger than a normal human head. It had a handle on it, big enough for a human to hold onto. It'd be good if it was magnetic, then there'd be something to hold onto if something bad happened and they needed to hold onto it/

Yvonne looked over to Ross, with a slight smile "Ah, yes. Now, we're rather fond of these. The Magnaclamp. Found in a spaceship buried at the base of Mount Snowdon. Attach this to an object, and it cancels the mass. I could use it to left two tones of weight with a single hand. That's an imperial ton, by the way. Torchwood refuses to get metric."

So it was magnetic. Fair enough. Ross threw the Magnaclamp back into the box and brushed his hands together. "I could do with that to carry the shopping.." Jenna said, amazed.

"All these devices are for Torchwood's benefit. Not the general publics." Yvonne said patronisingly.

Jenna pulled a face. Ross looked through a magnifying glass that was near by "So, what about these ghosts?" Ross asked, even though it was totally irrelevant to the magnifying glass.

"As yes, the ghosts. They're er... what you might call a side effect."

"Of what?"

"All in good time, Ross. There is an itinerary, trust me."

Just then, before anybody could say anything else Ross and Jenna saw the TARDIS was on the back of a truck bring driven in. "Oi! Where are you taking that?" Jenna asked.

"'If it's alien it's ours'." Yvonne quoted from before.

"You'll never get inside it." Ross said.

"Hm! Et cetera." Yvonne then walked away.

Ross watched the TARDIS as it was being driven away when Ratliff opened the door a crack and peeked through it seeing Ross there. Ross nodded encouragingly to him, and looked away.

Ratliff closed both of the TARDIS doors. He completely shit himself when he felt the TARDIS move, and if he was honest he thought he was gonna end up getting into some kind of trouble or being killed by the soldiers or something. Something along them lines. But knowing him if he gets into any trouble here, he will get killed.

Once he had the doors shut, he looked over to Ross's coat and went over to it as it was slung over one of the support beams in the TARDIS. He started rummaging around the pockets "Psychic paper.. psychic paper.." Ratliff muttered to himself.

He felt relief when he found it deep inside of one of Ross's pockets on his coat. He opened it up, biting his lip as he anticipated what he could do with it.

Yvonne, Ross and Jenna stride down a corridor, flanked by army soldiers "All those times I've been on Earth, I'VE never heard of you.."

"But of course not. You're the enemy. You're actually named in the Torchwood Foundation Charter of 1879 as of enemy of the Crown."

Ross thought back to 1879. When it hit him. He had took Ratliff back to there.. long story short he and Ratliff ended up saving the Queen of England, but then she made them her sworn enemies for life so they had to run before they got massacred by her and her little troops she had. "1879... that was called Torchwood, that house in Scotland?" Ross asked.

"That's right. Where you encountered Queen Victoria and the werewolf."

"I think he makes half of it up.." Jenna said as she was following close behind.

"Her majesty created the Torchwood Institute with the express intention of keeping Britain great. And fighting the alien horde."

Ross spoke to Yvonne, looking at her, conversationally "But I'm the enemy, does that mean I'm the prisoner?" He asked.

"Oh yes." Yvonne said lightly.

They rounded a corner where they found themselves outside a large black door. "But we'll make you perfectly comfortable. And there is so much you can teach us. Starting with this."

Pressing her ID card against the digital lock, she opened the door. They walked into a chamber where there was a big large black sphere at the end of the room floating in mid air. God knows what it was holding in it. "Now what do you make of that?" Yvonne asked, impressively.

Noticing their arrival, a man called Rajesh, straightened his jacket and approached Ross, who was gazing mouthed open at the sphere. "You must be Ross," Rajesh said "Rajesh Singh. It's an honour, sir."

Rajesh held out his hand, but Ross was too immersed in gazing at the sphere to notice. "Yeah.." Ross said vaguely. Rajesh lowered his hand sheepishly.

Jenna looked up at the sphere, in a mix of shocked and scared "What IS that thing?" She asked.

"We got no idea." Yvonne said, also looking at the sphere.

"But, what's wrong with it?"

"What makes you think there's something wrong with it?" Rajesh asked.

"I don't know," Jenna shrugged "it just feels.. weird.."

Ross darted forward and up the steps that led to the sphere so he could get a closer look at it. Just from looking at it walking through the door, he could tell there was something about it that wasn't good. Yvonne watched as Ross went to go inspect it "Well, the sphere has that effect on everyone. Makes you want to run and hide. Like it's forbidden."

Rajesh spoke up next "We tried analysing it using every device imaginable." whilst Rajesh spoke, Ross put on his 3D glasses he had from earlier and looked up at the sphere through them. Rajesh continued "But - according to our instruments - the sphere doesn't exist. It weighs nothing. It doesn't age. No heat. No radiation. And - has no atomic mass."

"But I can see it!" Jenna raised her voice, confused and scared at the sphere just floating there.

"This is a Void ship..." Ross said, still looking at it with his 3D glasses on.

"And what is that?" Yvonne asked.

Ross folded away the 3D glassed and put them into his pocket, sounding worried when he spoke "Well, it's impossible for starters. I always thought it was just a theory, but... it's a vessel designed to exist outside time and space. Travelling through the Void." he sat down on the bottom step, with Yvonne and Rajesh crowding him.

"And what's 'The Void'?" Rajesh asked.

"The space between dimensions. There's all sorts of realities around us, different dimensions - billions of parallel universes all stacked up against each other. The Void is the space in-between. Containing absolutely nothing. Imagine that - nothing. No light, no dark, no up, no down. No life. No time. Without end. My people called it the Void, the Eternals called it the Howling. But some people call it Hell." Ross explained from them both.

"But someone built the sphere. What for? Why go there?"

"The explore. To escape. You could sit inside that thing and an eternity would pass you by. The Big Bang... end of the universe, start of the next, wouldn't even touch the sides. You'd exist outside the whole of creation.." Ross explained furthermore.

"You see, we were right. There is something inside it." Yvonne said smugly.

Ross looked up at her "Oh yes.." He said, Yvonne getting caught by his tone.

"So how do we get in there?" Rajesh asked.

Ross suddenly stood up, becoming agitated "We don't! We send that thing back into Hell!" Ross pointed to it "how did it get here in the first place?" He asked, turning to Yvonne.

"Well, that's how it all started. The sphere came through into this world, and the ghosts followed in its wake." Yvonne told him.

"Show me." Ross then stride off. Yvonne exchanged looks with Rajesh, and followed Ross. Ross exited the room and turned left. "Ross... No.." Yvonne said.

Ross then turned right, realising he was going the wrong way.

Ratliff tentatively stepped outside of the TARDIS doors and found himself tucked away in the corner of the factory floor. He quickly dodged out of the way of two men talking, so he tried to go the other way but two soldiers approached. Ratliff hid and waited until they were all gone, and he looked from the side of the TARDIS where he found a discarded white lab coat. He let out a small laugh and put it on so he would fit in with everyone else and wouldn't be caught.

Maybe this way he would find Ross quicker without getting caught and killed by the soldiers with their big guns.

He walked round the corner and began to walk confidently out into the open of the factory where nobody gave him a second glance. He literally felt like he was getting away with murder. Ratliff then spotted one man striding purposefully through a door and decided to follow him, hoping it would lead him to Ross.

Yvonne showed Ross into the Rift Chamber where there was a white expanse of wall from which the white light emits during ghost shift. Ross looked away from the white wall after ten seconds, not because Yvonne started talking but because of the feeling he was just getting from being in this room. It didn't feel right at all in the slightest. "The sphere came through here. A hole in the world." She said.

Ross walked over to the white wall, running his hand across it. "Not active at the moment. But when we fire particle engines at that exact spot, the breech opens up." Yvonne explained.

"How did you even find it?" Ross asked.

"Well, we were getting warning signs for years. A radar black-spot. So we built this place. Torchwood Tower. The breech was six hundred foot above sea level. It was on the only way to reach it."

Once again Ross put on his 3D glasses, and if Jenna was getting honest she was really starting to wonder why the hell he kept on putting those on. It wasn't a 3D movie, so why the hell would he even wear them? Yes it felt like they were in some kind of messed up movie... still, Ross didn't have to wear them. "You built a skyscraper just to reach a spatial disturbance? How much money do you have?!" Ross asked, annoyed, surprised and just feeling like giving up.

"Enough." She then walked away. Ross removed the 3D glasses, putting them away as he still contemplated the wall, folding his arms. Bad feelings. That's all he was getting out of this day... BAD. FEELINGS.

Jenna looked out of the window in Yvonne's office "Hang on a minute... we're in Canary Wharf! Must be! This building, it's Canary Wharf." and the view from the building would certainly suggest so that it was more than likely Canary Wharf by the big bullet building that was out front a few blocks away in front.

"Well, that is the public name for it. But to those in the know, it's Torchwood."

Ross walked over to Jenna and Yvonne, joining them both "So, you find the breech, probe it, the sphere comes through. Six hundred feet above London, bam. It leaves a hole in the fabric of reality. And that hole, you think 'oh shall we leave it alone? Shall we back off? Shall we play it safe?' nah, you think 'let's make it BIGGER!'"

Yvonne continued staring out of the window over Canary Wharf "It's a massive energy source. If he can harness that power, we need never depend on the Middle East again. Britain will become truly independent. Look, you can see for yourself. Next ghost shifts in two minutes." Yvonne left the office and into the main area where the wall and the leavers were.

"Cancel it."

"I don't think so."

Ross all of a sudden became angrily towards Yvonne and the ghost shift she was doing "I'm warning you, cancel it."

Yvonne turned around to Ross "Oh, exactly how the legends would have it. Ross, lording it over us. Assuming alien authority over the rights of men." Yvonne snapped.

"Let me show you." He took his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket and stood on the other side of the glass partition between Yvonne's office and the main area "Sphere comes through," Ross pointed the screwdriver at the glass and activated it, making the glass splinter and the crack extended outwards, continuing to do so as Ross spoke "but when it made the hole, it cracked the world around it. The entire surface of this dimension, splintered. And that's how the ghosts get through. That's how they get everywhere. They're bleeding through the fault lines. Walking from their world, across the Void, and into yours. With the Human Race hoping and wishing and them along! But too many ghosts, and..." Ross placed the lightest fingertip on the glass and the whole thing shatters, falling from the frame onto the floor all over.

"Well, in that case we'll have to be more careful," she then addressed the staff "positions! Ghost shift in one minute."

Ross started to try to pursue her "Ms Hartman, I am asking you - please, don't do it."

"We have done this a thousand times."

"Then stop at a thousand!" Ross shouted furiously.

"We are in control of the ghosts. The leavers can open the breech, but equally they can CLOSE it."

Both Ross and Yvonne stared at each other for a few moments, a battle of wills until - "Okay.." Ross said, lightly. He then walked off into Yvonne's office grab a chair.

"Sorry?!" Yvonne asked confused as too what he was doing. One minute he was battling this to stop, and the next he's just... giving up?

"Never mind! As you were."

"What, is that it?"

Ross settled down on a chair "No! Fair enough. Said my bit. Don't mind me. Any chance of a cup of tea?"

"Ghost Shift in twenty seconds." A worker said from one of the computers.

"Mm! Can't WAIT to see it!"

Yvonne started to become suspicious of Ross's weird behaviour now "You can't stop us, Ross."

"No, absolutely not!" Ross turned his head to Jenna who was standing next to him "pull up a seat Ratliff! Come and watch the fireworks."

Jenna then went and stood behind Ross's chair, like something Ratliff himself would of done if he was here. Either that or be a little shit like Ross is.

"Ghost shift in ten seconds. Nine... eight..."

Yvonne became uneasy as the worker began to count down. She stared at Ross as he raised his eye brows at her, knowing she was going to give in but he just didn't say anything to her. He just waited for the moment for her to give in. In fact, he was looking at her as if daring her to go through with it.

"Seven.. six.. five.. four... three.. two..."

Yvonne all of a sudden just broke "Stop the shift! I said stop!"

"Thank you." Ross said gratefully.

Yvonne nodded, folding her arms "I suppose it makes sense to get as much intelligence as possible. But the program will recommence, as soon as you've explained everything."

"I'm glad to be of help."

Yvonne turned around to the large room "Someone clear up this glass!" She ordered, turning to Ross "they did warn me, Ross. They said you like to make a mess." she then disappeared into her office.

Not noticing three of her workers exchanging glances at each other, seeming to come to a silent agreement and began typing on the computers.

Ratliff walked down a corridor, still following the man he had saw from earlier from a distance. When he saw the man turn around a corner, she quickly broke into a jog as he heard the sound of a door opening and closing. Ratliff peered cautiously around the corner to see where it had come from, seeing a big black door leading to somewhere.

He looked left and right before approaching the door. He surmised the door for a moment, but then he took out the psychic paper and kissed it. After he pressed it against the lock that obviously unlocked the door. The door then slide open, so Ratliff just casually slipped in.

Ratliff walked slowly into the sphere chamber, just as everyone before him, he immediately became hypnotised by the huge sphere just floating there in mid air. He couldn't help but walk slowly towards it. Unfortunately for him, Rajesh spotted him and approached him "Can I help you?" He asked.

Ratliff didn't look away from the sphere "I was just..."

"Try not to look. It does that to everyone. What do you want?" He asked.

"Sorry," Ratliff shook his head, looking at Rajesh "um.. they sent me from personnel. They said some man had been taken prisoner. Someone called Ross? I'm just.. checking the lines of communication, did they tell you anything?" Ratliff asked, trying to sound as intelligent as possible.

"Can I see your authorisation?"

"...Sure..." Ratliff handed him the psychic paper.

He checked it as he handed it to him "That's lucky," Rajesh said. Ratliff smiled in relief. Rajesh looked at Ratliff "Everyone in Torchwood has at least a basic level of psychic training," Ratliff's smile then faded "this paper is blank. And you're a fake," Rajesh spoke into the into comm "Seal the room. Call security."

The doors then shut, Ratliff sighed. He is really deciding now not to take notes from Ross's book. He just seems to be getting into trouble all the time. That's when Ratliff noticed someone stood with their back to him, facing some controls. It was odd.. because Ratliff recognised the back of that head from anywhere..

"Samuel?" Rajesh asked, looking over to the guy Ratliff was looking at "Can you check the door locks? He just walked right in."

"Samuel" turned around. Ratliff got the shock of his life right there because it wasn't this "Samuel"...

It was Ryan.

Ryan.

Ryan as in his best friend Ryan who had stayed behind the Parallel World.. right then Ratliff felt relief and horror. More relief though. "Doing it now, sir." Ryan said.

Ratliff just stared at Ryan in disbelief as he walked towards him and by him. Ryan just smiled at Ratliff, putting his finger to his lips and gave him the thumbs up, grinning.

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**I can imagine all of you guys are happy now that Ryan's back :) Haha. But.. that still doesn't mean that everything's gonna turn out good ;)**

**6 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**


	13. Army of Ghosts: The Sphere

**Okay, I'm not trying to be funny or harsh here or anything... but 2 reviews? Seriously? When there's 6 people following? why is it every time I do LONG chapters hardly anybody seems to review? What? Don't you like long chapters or something? Or are you just too lazy to read because it's so long? Seriously. It irritates me to fuck when that happens, especially when I worked as hard as I could on that chapter ffs.**

**Sorry to start on an unhappy note, maybe we could end happily at the end of the chapter?**

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**_Army Of Ghosts: The Sphere_**

Yvonne sat at her desk with a laptop in front of her, still talking to Ross and 'Ratliff' about this whole ghost situation and the ghost shift thing. No matter what Ross was going to say to her, she was still going to go ahead and do it anyway. "So these ghosts, what ever they are - did they build that sphere?" Yvonne asked.

Yvonne's eyes lingered on Ross's feet, which were crossed on the desk as he sat back in the chair he was sat on, but she decided to let it pass. Ross had himself thrown in a chair, looking completely relaxed to everyone who around as well as himself "Must have. Aimed it at this dimension like a cannon ball." He told her.

All of a sudden, a video came up on Yvonne's laptop. She looked to see Rajesh sat there with some guy. "Yvonne?" Rajesh started to speak through the web cam "I think you should see this. We've got a visitor. We don't know who he is, but funnily enough, he arrived at the same time as Ross."

Ross's face twitched. Ratliff seriously couldn't of just stayed in the TARDIS for the time being, could of he? Yvonne looked at Ross before turning around the laptop so Ross could see Ratliff and Rajesh on the screen. Ratliff was sat there peering into the camera comically. "He one of yours?" Yvonne asked.

Ross shook his head "Never seen him before in my life." He lied.

"Good!" Yvonne smiled "then we can have him shot dead."

Ross sighed, sitting up in the chair "Oh alright then, it was worth a try... that's... that's Ellington Ratliff." Ross said, pointing to the screen.

"Sorry..." Ratliff said through the other side of the web cam, he waved to Ross awkwardly through the camera "hello.." Ross let out a small laugh, waving back.

Yvonne looked at Ross confused "Well, if that's Ellington Ratliff, who's SHE?"

"I'm his sister." Jenna said

"Oh," Yvonne said, smiling finding this very entertaining "you travel with his sister. How interesting."

"He kidnapped me!" Jenna protested. There was no way in hell she would travel with Ross, unless it was her last option or if she was forced against her own will by him. Or kidnapped. Like she just said.

"Please, when Torchwood comes to write my complete history, don't tell people I travelled through time and space with his sister..." Ross said, almost in a begging tone.

Jenna rolled her eyes "Charming."

"I've got a reputation to uphold!"

All of a sudden the sound of the ghost shift engines starting up was heard. Yvonne looked through the glass through to the room and the broken glass Ross had broken with his screwdriver from before. She stood up and addressed the staff "Excuse me? Everyone? I thought I said stop the ghost shift." all three of the workers ignored Yvonne, staring straight ahead of them. Yvonne continued "Who started the program? But- I ordered you to stop! Who's doing that?!" She pointed over to both of the levers which were both rising up of their own accord "Step away from the monitors, everyone." no-one listened to Yvonne, they all just kept on typing as the white wall was opening up and the levers rised up by themselves "Gareth, Addy - stop what you're doing, RIGHT NOW. Matt. Step away from you desk. That's an order! Stop the levers!" two scientists then immediately rushed over to the levers, but struggled to push them down "Stop the levers!"

Ross got up from where he was and went over to the female worker, Addy, "What's SHE doing?" Ross asked, looking at her monitor.

Yvonne followed Ross over to her, as well as Jenna "Addy? Step away from the desk."

Ross stared at Addy, clicking his fingers in front of her face, but she didn't react to him one bit. "Listen to me," Yvonne went on "Step away from the desk."

"She can't hear you," Ross said, he turned to the computer screen observing it. Seeing that she was overriding the system as well as the other two workers "they're overriding the system.." Ross, Jenna and Yvonne stared anxiously at the blank expanse of the wall, that was starting to open for the ghosts to come through "we're going into Ghost Shift."

The light on the wall started to brighten.

Rajesh couldn't see what was going on through the computer on the web cam, but he could just about hear what was going on. He spoke into the into com "Yvonne, I thought you said the next Ghost Shift was cancelled."

Ryan was checking the locks over at the door, he took a glance over his shoulder at Rajesh or "Raj" as Ryan called him for short. "What's going on?" Rajesh asked, but got no reply "Yvonne?"

The whole chamber that Ratliff, Ryan and Rajesh were stood in suddenly shuddered. They looked over to where the shudder had come from, and where they looked.. it was the sphere. Which meant the sphere was about to open, and whatever was inside of it was about to open. "It can't be.." Rajesh said, as he, Ryan and Ratliff hurry over to it where a another crash sounded from within the sphere "It's active!"

Ross looked beside him at Addy's earpiece, where he saw the blue flashing from it. 'It can't be...' He thought to himself. "It's the earpiece controlling them. I've see this before," Ross said, taking the sonic from his pocket, standing behind Addy "Sorry.. I'm so sorry.." Ross said sincerely towards Addy to what he was about to do.

He held the screwdriver to her earpiece, deactivating it. As it deactivated, Addy screamed in pain and slumped over the desk, dead. Along with Matt and Gareth, as if the earpieces were connected. "What happened? What did you just do?" Yvonne asked.

"They're dead."

"You killed them.." Jenna said, looking at Ross in disbelief.

Ross turned around to the computer "Oh someone else did that long before I got here."

"But you killed them!"

"Jenna, I haven't got time for this!" Ross snapped angrily at her.

"What're those earpieces?" Yvonne asked, going to touch it.

"Don't."

"But they're standard comms. Devices - how does it control them?"

Ross then went over to Matt's computer "Trust me, leave them alone."

Yvonne looked down to Addy's body "But what are they?" Yvonne asked. She took hold of one of Addy's earpieces and pulled it right out of her head. Only for a trial of brain tissue to be attached to it, being pulled out with it where herself and Jenna became revolted "Urgh! Oh, god! It goes inside their brain!" She dropped the earpiece almost immediately.

"What about the Ghost Shift?"

Yvonne looked at the computer "Ninety percent there. It's still running. Can't you stop it?"

"They're still controlling it. They've hijacked the system."

"Who's THEY?"

Ross took the sonic once again out of his pocket, placing it in the palm of his hand turning it slowly "It might be a remote transmitter but it's gotta be close by. I can trace it." Ross darted off, evidently receiving some kind of signal from the sonic screwdriver "Jenna, stay here!"

Yvonne followed Ross out of the room - where her laptop lied forgotten on the desk, Rajesh was speaking into the web cam where the words "Sphere Activated" flashed onto the screen.

"We've got a problem down here. Yvonne, can you hear me?" Rajesh asked through the camera. The sphere in the chamber room then started to shake violently, making crash sounds as it did "Yvonne - for God's Sake!" Rajesh started to become frantic "the sphere is active! The readings are going wild! It's got weight, it's got mass, an electromagnetic field! It exists!" Rajesh jumped, turning around to the sound of a crash behind him where the door to the room was shutting itself "The door's sealed. Automatic quarantine - we can't get out!" he rushed off.

Ratliff and Ryan were left as Rajesh was running around frantically trying to find something to help them all out, they were just staring up at the sphere "It's alright. We beat them before, we can beat them again - even though technically it was the bomb that killed them but hey-ho. That's why I'm here. The fight goes on." Ryan told Ratliff, not taking his eyes off the sphere.

The sphere continued to vibrate as Ratliff and Ryan talked, making them jump each time it made a crash sound "The fight against what?" Ratliff asked, looking at Ryan confused.

"What do you think?" Ryan asked, he was surprised that he didn't get it from what he just said about how they defeated them before.

Both of them then stumbled as two violent crashes emitted from the sphere, making the chamber shake itself.

Ross walked down a corridor through the Torchwood building, letting his sonic guide him as well as Yvonne who was just following him so they could both get a look at what was going on. Even though Ross already had a fair idea of what it was. Yvonne then saw two passing soldiers coming by them both "You two - come with us." She ordered.

Moments later, Ross, Yvonne and the soldiers came to a plastic curtained area which obviously had something in it. "What's down here?" Ross asked.

"I don't.. I don't know, I think it's just building work. It's just renovations."

Ross started to go forward "You should go back."

Yvonne laughed "Think again." She said, following him, gesturing for the soldiers to do the same.

Ross stopped pushing the plastic curtains aside as the sonic screwdriver started to bleep, he looked down at it. "What is it? What's down here?" Yvonne asked.

Ross's brow furrowed "Earpieces, ear-pods," Ross said, he then looked at the curtains "this world's colliding with another," he looked back at the screwdriver "and I think I know which one.." and with the world Ross think it is colliding with, he knows it certainly cannot be good.

All of a sudden, shadows of some robotic human form thing could be seen behind the curtains surrounding them both, getting into position. "What are they?" Yvonne asked in a hushed tone.

"They came through first.." Ross said, looking at the shadows.

The robotics then slit the curtains down with their hands. "The advanced guard.." Ross said, watching as they stepped through the curtains and began to march towards Ross and Yvonne.

"Cyber Men..."

The two soldiers who were with Ross and Yvonne fired their guns at the Cyber Men, but it didn't have no effect on them what so ever. Ross and Yvonne then turned around to escape another way, but found they were surrounded by tons of Cyber Men. Ross sighed, putting his hands up as well as Yvonne. He thought the Cyber Men were dead, especially when they got blown up under that tunnel in the Parallel World.

Apparently not.

Jesus, what else was going to decide to make a reappearance in Ross's life?

Another crash emitted from the sphere, they know that it had been doing it for the past five minutes but every time it did it, they just kept on shitting themselves. Ryan continued on explaining to Ratliff about the Cyber Men whilst the crashing went on "We had them beaten, but then they escaped. The Cyber Men just vanished," another crash emitted "they a way through to this world, but - so did we."

Ratliff stared at Ryan "Ross said that was impossible."

"Yeah," Ryan shrugged, looking at the sphere "well, it's not the first time he's been wrong."

"What's inside the sphere?"

Another crash. Ryan just shrugged "No one knows. Cyber Leader, Cyber King, Emperor of the Cyber Men... whatever it is," Ryan grinned, looking at Ratliff "he's dead meat."

Ratliff smiled and nudged him "It's good to see you."

Ryan smiled back "Yeah. It's good to see you too."

The Cyber Men lead Yvonne and Ross, who had their hands behind their head, back to the rift chamber. When Ross entered the room he could see people starting to panic and look like they were about to freak out "Get away from the machines - do what they say, don't fight them!" Ross called out desperately to everyone.

The Cyber Men then revealed their weapons from their arms and shot one of the scientists dead who was over at one of the levers as well as the other one. "What are they..?" Jenna asked, terrified.

"We are the Cyber Men," one of the Cyber Men said, turning round facing Jenna, it then faced the wall once more "The Ghost Shift will be increased to one hundred percent." the Cyber Men clamps a fist to its chest, making the lever rise once more, beginning the Ghost Shift again.

_"Online."_ The computer spoke out that controls the levers and wall.

Ross watched as the light brightened on the wall "Here come the ghosts.."

Everyone in that room watched, knowing that around the world thousands of Cyber Men were stepping out of thin air and materialising, accompanied by the sound of the Cyber Men marching as they could hear out in the corridors of Torchwood.

"Can anybody hear me?" Rajesh asked through the into com and computer "Come on, I need help down here!"

This time, the entire chamber was shaking accompanied by booms from the sphere "I need-" Rajesh stopped talking when he heard the sphere stop shaking, meaning it was opening.

Rajesh joined Ryan and Ratliff as Ryan removed his lab coat, taking out his earpiece "Here we go..." Ryan said as he watched.

Rajesh put on his glasses, as they watched smooth cracks appeared in the sphere as it opened up. Light spilling out from the gaps. Ready for this Cyber Men person thing to come out, whatever it was. At least Ryan and Ratliff were, Rajesh had no clue what it was.

"These Cyber men -" Jenna started speaking to Ross "what've they got to do with the ghosts?"

Ross had his hand in front of him, trying to block out most of the light from the wall "Don't you never listen?" Ross asked "A foot print doesn't look like a boot!" Ross repeated, as he had said this earlier to Jenna.

"Achieving full transfer." A Cyber Men said.

"They're Cyber Men," Ross lowered his hand "all of the ghosts are Cyber Men."

The Cyber Men continued to march from the light in the wall, slowly becoming more defined as Cyber Men. "Millions of them," Ross continued "right across the world."

By this point, hundreds of Cyber Men were standing in the light of the wall and out of it, ready for war. "They're invading the whole planet.." Yvonne said, watching as she nervously played with her fingers.

"It's not an invasion, it's too late for that. It's a victory.." Ross said, as he also watched on.

All of a sudden Ross, Yvonne and Jenna's attention got turned to the computer which had the sphere's information on it. _"Sphere Activated. Sphere Activated. Sphere Activated. Sphere Activated."_

Ross looked at it, with a furrowed brow confused.

The light continued to spill from the sphere. "I know what's in there," Ryan said "and I'm ready for them. I've got just the thing." He then went over and retrieved a weapon that he had been hiding under the computer for a while now, and then positioned himself in front of the sphere holding it up at it "this gonna blast them to hell."

"Samuel, what are you doing?!" Rajesh asked.

"The name's Ryan. Ryan Mitchell. Defending the Earth." he cocked the gun as the sphere started to part further.

Ross walked over to near by Cyber Man after looking at the computer about the sphere finally opening up "What I don't understand is Cyber Men don't have the technology to build a Void Ship, that's WAY beyond you. How did you create that sphere?"

"The sphere is not ours."

Ross's face dropped from confused to stunned, feeling a little bit scared inside. He didn't know what was inside the sphere now "What...?" Ross asked, stunned.

"The sphere broke down the barriers between worlds. We only followed. It's origin is unknown."

Ross's eyes widened slightly, as he stared off into thin air "Then what's inside..?"

"Ratliff's down there.." Jenna said, fearful.

The three of them continued to look at the sphere, when the top part of a familiar looking alien emerged from the top of the sphere. Well, to Ratliff it was familiar. As far as Ryan and Rajesh's knowledge go, they had no clue.

Ryan was thrown, he lowered his gun a little "That's not Cyber Men..."

That was when they could see the alien properly. Only it wasn't an alien.

It was Dalek's. Four of them.

The four Dalek's glide smoothly out of the sphere.

Ratliff's eyes widened as he, Rajesh and Ryan started to step back away from them "Oh my god.." Was all he managed to get out from his mouth.

"Location: Earth. Life forms detected!" The Black Dalek, obviously the leader, started to say in it's normal voice "Exterminate!"

Ryan aimed his gun at the four of them as they continued to stare at them, Ratliff just stared at them in wide eyed fear as the Dalek's started gaining on them slowly "Exterminate! Exterminate! EXTERMINATE!"

And at that moment... they realised the three of them were doomed.

**Next Time: Doomsday: Dalek's**

**Then: Doomsday: The Void  
**

**After: Doomsday: Goodbye**

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**There we go, a nice short-ish chapter. (y) Hope you guys liked it and the little cliffhanger I left you guys :)**

**_6_ OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE AND WANT IT TO CONTINUE.**


	14. Doomsday: Dalek's & The Cybermen

_**My chapters are just getting longer and longer haha. But that's not a bad thing is it? Lol. hen I was writing this I thought it was gonna be liek 8 or 9 thousand words long.. Apparently not. cx**_

_**But anyway, on forth after I left you with that cliffhanger **_

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_**Doomsday: Dalek's & Cybermen**_

Ratliff, Ryan and Rajesh backed away from the Dalek's advanced upon them as they let out cries of "exterminate". Ratliff looked around at how Rajesh was becoming slightly a nervous wreck of the Dalek's whilst Ryan was beginning to shake whilst he held the gun, aiming it at them. He looked back at the four Dalek's. So much for Ratliff apparently destroying the final one when he looked into the heart of the TARDIS, huh?

But why was there four? And a black one? Aren't they all brown?

"DALEK'S!" Ratliff shouted over their 'exterminate' cries. The Dalek's then felt silent, turning their attention to Ratliff as they were taken aback "You're called 'Dalek's'." The Dalek's did not respond to this, instead they just seemingly observed Ratliff as he walked towards them closely "I know your name," he then took off the lab coat he was wearing, throwing it on the floor "think about it - how can I know that? A human... who knows about the Dalek's. And the Time War. If you wanna know how, then keep us alive. That's all I'm asking. Me and my friends." he asked, even though Ratliff knows it is extremely hard to reason with Dalek's as they'll just 'exterminate' AKA kill you if they don't like the sound of it. Ratliff just stood there with a worried face, half waiting for him to be shot dead at the same time.

"Yeah, Dalek's," Ryan said, chipping in nervously, not wanting to die "Time War. Me too..." He lied. The will for him to live right now was too great. Ross had told him all sorts of stories about these guys, and it appears they're not nice.. oh yeah.. and also survive anything apparently.

The Dalek's eye-piece swiveled around and looked at Ryan. Rajesh then spoke up "Yeah. And me.." Rajesh lied, wanting to live just as much as Ryan did.

Dalek Sek, the black Dalek, swiveled it's eye-piece around, looking sat Ratliff "You will be necessary," Dalek Sek then turned around to face Dalek Jast, one of the brown Dalek's "Report - what is the status of the Genesis Ark?"

"Status - Hibernation." Dalek Jast replied, it's voice different from Sek's. It appeared that they were all going to have different voices, some lower than others.

"Commence awakening."

"The Genesis Ark must be protected above all else." The third brown Dalek started, who was Dalek Thay.

The four Dalek's then turned around where there was a big metal Ark that was the shape of an actual Dalek, which had also emerged from the sphere. All of them clamped their suction arms, the ones that look like a plunger for a toilet, onto the side of the ark each where there was a spot for them.

Ryan looked at Ratliff speaking to him quietly, still with his gun pointed at the four Dalek's "The Dalek's - you said they were all dead."

"Never mind that," Ratliff snapped quietly, looking at this 'Genesis Ark' they were all surrounding and trying to protect "what the hells a Genesis Ark?"

Jenna had been holding in her panic for Ratliff being down in the room with the sphere ever since it had opened for the last 10 or 15 minutes and right now she just burst and started to let it out, not even caring if she was going to get shot by one of the Cyber Men "What's down there?" Jenna asked, panicked obviously "He was in the room with the sphere. What's happened to Ratliff?"

Ross was leaning against a wall, trying to think but looking more lost than anything "I don't know.." Ross said, abruptly. Without further of delay, seconds after that Jenna started crying. Ross sighed sympathetically, for a change, and walked over to Jenna "I'll find him. I brought you here, I'll get you both out. You and your brother. Jenna, look at me," she didn't look at Ross she just continued looking down "look at me." Jenna then looked up at Ross, her eyes red from tears "I promise you. I give you my word, and you know I never make promises or give my word to you because let's face it.. I hate you." He said, adding a small smile, joking of course, at the end of the sentence. Jenna let out a small laugh, smiling a little. Ross smiled "There we go, that's better." He said, putting at arm round her hugging her slightly.

A Cyber Man approached Yvonne who was sat at her desk "You will talk to your central world authority and order global surrender."

Yvonne rolled her eyes, without a trace of fear "Oh, do some research. We haven't GOT a central world authority."

"You have now. I will speak on all global wavelengths," The Cyber Man spoke as Ross, once again, put on his 3D glasses "This broadcast is for human kind," it said, now speaking to the whole entire world "Cybermen now occupy ever land mass on this planet. But you need not fear. Cybermen will remove fear. Cybermen will remove sex and class and colour and creed. You will become identical. You will become like us."

Moment later, Ross, Jenna and Yvonne, as well as one of the Cybermen, were observing chaos happening on a bridge not too far away from the top of the Torchwood Tower through the window. People were running, screaming, even the military were firing what weapons they had at the Cybermen to kill them but they had no effect on them what so ever. The Cybermen were just fighting back with their own weapons, blowing up cars, trucks, tanks, killing the soldiers and random people off the streets. But finally, one soldier managed to hit a Cyberman and it went up into flames.

The first Cyberman anybody had witnessed be destroyed since they got here.

"I ordered surrender." The Cyberman who had been speaking to the world before had said, looking out the window.

Ross turned his head, looking at the Cyberman like to was insane. Though of course it freaking insane, thinking people were going to surrender when they're killing the world as well as their friends and family, people who mattered the most to them "They're not taking instructions. Don't you understand? Your on every street - you're in their homes. You've got their children," Ross then snapped angrily "of course they're gonna fight!"

Back in the chamber room, Dalek Sek came away from the Genesis Ark and faced Ratliff, Ryan and Rajesh "Which of you is least important?"

Ratliff gave Dalek Sek a funny look "What's that suppose to mean?"

"Which of you is least important?" He repeated.

Ratliff shook his head, arms folded "No, we don't work like that. None of us." Ratliff told him. At least, he's assuming the four of them are all boys. Though, you can't exactly check underneath them to see if they have anything there can you?

"Designate the least important!"

Rajesh went to go step forward "This is my responsibility."

Ratliff stopped him, holding him back with his arm across Rajesh's chest as strong as he could "No, don't!"

Rajesh ignored Ratliff, standing before Dalek Sek dejectedly "I er - I represent the Torchwood Institute. Anything you need, you... come through me. Leave these two alone."

"You will kneel." Dalek Sek ordered.

"What for?"

"Kneel."

Rajesh kneeled to the floor before Dalek Sek as the surrounding Dalek's directed their eye stalks onto him. Dalek Sek continued "The Dalek's need information about current Earth history."

"Yeah well I can give you a certain amount of intelligence but nothing that will compromise Home Land security-"

"Speech is not necessary. We will extract brainwaves."

The three brown Dalek's, Dalek Thay, Dalek Jast and Dalek Caan, all advanced upon Rajesh and positioned their suction arms around his head, where then Rajesh started showing first signs of fear. "Don't..." Rajesh started to beg "I- I'll tell you everything you need. No. No!"

He shouted out in agony before the Dalek's crushed his skull. Ryan went to go towards him, but Ratliff held him back, knowing it was already too late.

Back in the rift chamber, Ross, Jenna and Yvonne watched on as Cybermen were taking some of the workers in and out of the room and as they were planning stuff for their little "world domination" they had going on. "Scans detect unknown technology active within the sphere chamber." One of the Cybermen said.

"Cybermen will investigate." Another said.

A Cybermen then pushed two terrified members of staff of Torchwood roughly in front of him. "Unites 10 65 and 10 66 will investigate sphere chamber."

"We obey."

The Dalek's removed their suction arms from around Rajesh's skull, letting his blackened corpse fall to the ground. There was nothing left of Rajesh now, all that was left was his skeleton. Nothing more. Which was starting to get Ratliff thinking if he and Ryan were going to make it out of this room alive.

Dalek Sek started speaking once Rajesh's corpse hit the floor "His mind spoke of a second species invading Earth infected by the superstition of ghosts."

Ratliff turned around, looking at Dalek Sek, completely snapping at him with anger "Well you didn't need to KILL him!"

Dalek Caan turned his eye stalk to Ratliff "Neither did we need him alive."

Dalek Sek turned around to Dalek Thay "Dalek Thay - investigate outside."

"I obey." Dalek Thay turned towards the door, making his way out of it.

Two Cybermen walked all the way down from the Rift Chamber all the way down to the near-by corridor of the sphere chamber. A Cyberman from in the Rift Chamber spoke down to them "Unites open visual link."

The two Cyber men from downstairs clamped their fists to the logos on their chests where then in the Rift Chamber a visual of the area, occupied by two Cybermen, appeared on Yvonne's laptop. "Visual contacted established."

"Establish visual contact. Lower communications barrier." Dalek Sek said, communicating through to Dalek Thay so he could see what was going on in his surroundings out side of the sphere chamber.

A projection appeared in the area that was previously occupied by the sphere, showing Dalek Thay's point of view to where they could all see he met with two Cybermen.

Ross looked over to the laptop where he could see the Cybermen's point of views from where they were walking, when for the first time in absolute ages a Dalek in front of the Cybermen's view. His eyes widened just a little bit as he watched.

"Identify yourself." Dalek Thay ordered the Cybermen.

"You will identify first." One of the Cybermen in front of Dalek Thay ordered.

"State your identity."

Ross continued on staring at the laptop, at the Dalek, like it was worse than he could ever of imagined. And if he was telling the truth... this WAS worse than he could of imagined. He was expecting something else, not a Dalek. What happened to Ratliff destroying them all with the heart of the TARDIS? Where did THAT accidental plan go?

Obviously down the drain from what he is seeing now.

"You will identify first." The Cyberman ordered again, obviously this was going to turn into some sort of argument. Which, through Ryan's eyes was quite funny. But he didn't dare laugh in case he was zapped by one of the Dalek's. Especially that black one, Dalek Sek, he just scares him the most.

"Identify!" Dalek Thay yelled.

Ryan lent into Ratliff, speaking quietly to him "It's like Stephen Hawkins meets the Speaking Clock."

"...Illogical you will modify."

"Dalek's do not give orders."

"You have identified as Dalek's."

Dalek Sek looked up at the projection Dalek Thay and the Cybermen were on "Outline resembles the INFERIOR species known as 'Cybermen'."

Jenna looked up at Ross, asking him something she was too afraid to know the answer too "Ratliff told me about the Dalek's. He was terrified of them. What have they done to him, Ross? Is he dead?"

Ross turned to Jenna with frightening suddenness "Phone." He said, through gritted teeth.

"What did you-?"

"Phone!"

Jenna surreptitiously handed Ross the phone so the Cybermen didn't notice, otherwise both of them would be shot dead by them. Ross dialled Ratliff's number as soon as he got the phone, he held the phone to his ear, obviously frantic with worry for whether or not Ratliff was dead or alive. He was even starting to shake a little.

Ratliff and Ryan stood watching the Dalek's as they watched Dalek Thay 'arguing' with the Cybermen. That's when Ratliff's phone started ringing, his hand flew to his pocket and he answered it straight away, not speaking as he couldn't risk his and Ryan's life like that. He knows it sounds stupid, but god knows what the three Dalek's would do to them over a phone.

"He's answered," Ross said, turning to Jenna "he's alive." Jenna clapped her hands over her mouth in relief. Ross looked confused for a moment "Why haven't they killed him..?" Ross asked himself, out loud.

Jenna hit Ross in the arm with hard force "Well, don't complain!" She almost shouted "or better yet..." She stopped.

"Or better yet what?"

"Don't jinx it."

Ross rolled his eyes at Jenna, he wasn't gonna jinx Ratliff's life like that. It's impossible too. He put the phone back to his ear so he could listen through to what the Dalek's were saying in the sphere chamber.

"We must protect the Genesis Ark." Dalek Jast spoke.

"Genesis Ark?" Ross asked confused, hearing that through the phone. He pulled out his 3D glasses once again, putting them on and looking at the laptop.

Meanwhile, down in the corridor of Torchwood the conversation between the two Cybermen and Dalek Thay was still going on as the three other Dalek's, Ryan and Ratliff watched from the sphere chamber and Ross, Jenna and the Cybermen watched from the Rift Chamber. "Our species are similar, though your design is inelegant."

"Dalek's have no concept of elegance."

"This is obvious. But consider - our technologies are compatible. Cybermen plus Dalek's - together, we could upgrade the universe."

"You propose an alliance?"

"This is correct."

"Request denied."

The two Cybermen then thrusted their fists out, ready to shoot at Dalek Thay "Hostile elements will be deleted." they shot at Dalek Thay, but the rays they shot just simply bounced off the Dalek's armour "Exterminate!" Dalek Thay aimed at both of the Cybermen, one after the other, and both of the metal men just collapsed onto the floor dead.

"Open visual link," A Cyberman said from inside the rift chamber. It then started to address the Dalek's in the sphere chamber through the projection screen "Dalek's be warned: you have declared war upon the Cybermen."

Jenna's eyes widened in horror.

Dalek Sek watched the Cyberman from the projection in the chamber room "This is not war. This is pest control!" Dalek Sek said, even shaking from side to side a little as he said.

"We have five million Cybermen. How many are you?"

"Four."

"You would destroy the Cybermen with FOUR Dalek's?"

"We would destroy the Cybermen with ONE Dalek. You are superior in only one respect."

"What is that?"

"You are better at dying. Raise communications barrier."

Both screens in the Sphere and Rift Chamber went static. "Wait!" Dalek Jast managed to get in as the screens went off, but it was too late.

Ross clicked the phone off after losing the connection with Ratliff on his phone "Lost him."

Dalek Jast went up closer to the projection screen with Dalek Sek and Dalek Caan "Rewind image by nine rells," the image then rewound where Ross was in frame in the background "identify grid seven gamma frame," they then zoomed in on Ross who was in the background "this male registers as enemy."

Ratliff then started to beam as Ross was shown up on the projection. That was when Dalek Sek turned around and went towards Ratliff "This male's heartbeat has increased."

"Yeah, tell me about it.." Ryan mumbled under his breath.

"Identify him."

Ratliff sighed "Alright then, I'm surprised you don't know yourselves. You've met him thousands of times, at least others of you have. And me," he paused, looking at Dalek Sek dead in his eye "that's Ross," The Dalek's then rolled backwards sharply, as if they were scared. Ratliff smiled smugly "Five million Cybermen - easy. One Ross? NOW you're scared."

The Cyberman up in the Rift Chamber turned around and faced Ross, Jenna and Yvonne "Quarantine the Sphere Chamber. Start emergency upgrading. Begin with these personnel."

Yvonne started to struggle and shouted as she was being dragged away by two of the Cybermen "No, you can't do this! We surrendered! We surrendered!"

They then began to drag Jenna and Ross away too, but the Cyberman stopped them from dragging Ross away "This one's increased adrenaline suggests he has vital Dalek information." It said, talking about Ross.

Jenna's mouth dropped open in shock as she was being dragged away and Ross was left to be spared, apart from her and Yvonne "You promised me! You have me your word!"

Ross shouted back over to her, trying to reassure her "I'll think of something!" He shouted as Jenna was dragged out of sight.

Dalek Thay entered the Sphere Chamber "Cyber threat irrelevant. Concentrate on the Genesis Ark."

Dalek Sek - the black Dalek - pressed its suction arm to the side of the Genesis Ark. Ryan turned and looked at Ratliff "Why are we being kept alive?" Ryan asked.

"They might need me..." Ratliff said, after taking a long pause.

"What? What is it?"

Ratliff just continued on staring at all four Dalek's with great fear in his eyes, so Ryan could tell right there that it couldn't be good if he was getting scared over it.

The Cybermen had taken Jenna and Yvonne down to the curtained area where Yvonne and Ross had found the Cybermen from earlier. They were marching the personnel behind the curtains to be "upgraded" into one of the Cybermen. The whole place was just filled with the sound of people's painful deathly screams and the sound of drills, sparks flying everywhere. "What happens in there?" Jenna asked to Yvonne "what's upgrading mean? What do they do?"

Yvonne looked around at everyone as they were getting pushed through curtains and letting out deathly screams followed by the sound of drills. She spoke, sounding slightly sick "I think.. I think they remove the brain... sorry, um.. I think they remove brain and they put it in a suit of armour. That's what these things are. They're us."

"Next." A Cybermen said, where Yvonne was then dragged away.

Jenna then shouted after Yvonne "This is YOUR fault! You and your Torchwood. You've killed us all!"

"I did my duty for Queen and country." Yvonne shouted tearfully. She wrenched her arm away from the Cybermen's grip, and faced the area where the humans were being "upgraded", steeling herself to walk in. "I did my duty. I did my duty. Oh, god. I did my duty..." Yvonne kept on saying to herself as she walked in.

Jenna winced as she heard Yvonne's painful screams the sparks flying from behind the curtain. She had to find a way out of here before she was turning into one of them, even though there was only a limited amount of time and she was next.

Ross sat on the window in the Rift room looking down over Canary Wharf as it was being destroyed by the Cybermen, and - no doubt - by the Dalek's soon enough. That's when he heard Cybermen's footsteps coming towards him "You are proof."

Ross turned his head to the Cyberman "Of what?"

"That emotions destroy you."

"Yeah, I am," Ross stood up, glancing to the side over to where the white wall was "mind you, I quite like hope. Hope's a good emotion. And here it comes."

The Cyberman followed Ross's gaze where a group of people dressed in black suits, wearing helmets and carrying guns appeared out of nowhere from just a mere flash. One of them shouted to the others and they all then shot a row of Cybermen, immediately destroying them. Ross rolled out of the way and crouched in the corner of Yvonne's office as the last Cyberman had his head head blown off.

The guy responsible stood up and spoke to Ross "Ross - good to see you again." he took his helmet off.. where it revealed Jake. As in.. Jake from the Parallel World he left Ryan in with as well as Ratliff's brother Matty.

Ross's eyes widened "Jake?!"

"The Cybermen came through from one world to another - and so did we."

Ross just stared at Jake, looking more concerned and worried rather than pleased. Not that he wasn't pleased or anything, but he was genuinely concerned now.

A Cyberman dragged Jenna along the corridor to be "upgraded" when it stopped to talk to another passing Cyberman. "Cyber Leader One has been terminated."

"Explain - download shared files."

Jenna looked between both of the Cybermen, taking the opportunity to sneak away from them both.

"I will be upgraded to Cyber Leader."

Jenna then turned around and dashed down the back of a stair well as fast as she could, hopefully not getting caught or chased by them. All she had to do now was find Ross or Ratliff. Or preferably both. She just hopes Ross manages to get him out of that Sphere Chamber away from the Dalek's before it's too late for him.

Jake turned around, speaking to his group "Defend this room. Chrissie, monitor communications."

Ross took out the 3D glasses, yet again - it seemed to be becoming a habit for him, and used them to look at the group. Jake continued on speaking to his group as Ross done so "Kill one Cyber Leader and they just download into another. Move!" his group hurried from the room to do as they're told, leaving Ross alone with Jake.

"You can't just- just- just HOP from one world to another. You CAN'T!" Ross exploded.

"We just did. With these." Jake threw Ross what looked like a large yellow button on a chain, to be worn around a neck.

Ross looked down to it in his hand "But that's impossible. You can't have this sort of technology." never, so many times in one day, has Ross ever became so confused and lost for words. And it's not even five o'clock yet.

Jake smiled over to Ross "We've got our own version of Torchwood, remember. They developed it. Do you wanna come see?"

"NO!" Ross shouted. But it was too late, Jake had already pressed the button and they both disappeared.

Both of them reappeared in the same room, except it was considerably darker and looked as though there had been a recent struggle. There were wires and equipment strewn all over the floor and wires also hanging from certain parts of the ceiling. "Parallel Earth - parallel Torchwood," Jake started to speak, looking at Ross who looked as though he had lost the will to live "except we found out what the institute was doing and the people's republic took control."

"I've gotta get back!" Ross said, urgently "Ratliff is in danger," Ross said stopping, then shook his head remembering "and his sister."

"That'd be Jenna." A voice said from behind him.

Ross turned around and looked in surprise as Matty came towards him followed by two soldiers "My baby sister in a parallel world. And as for you, Ross, at least this time I know who you really are."

Ross then ran over to Matty, desperately "Right, yes, fine, hooray. But I've gotta get back. Right now."

Matty spoke, maddeningly calm "No, you're not in charge here. This is our world, not yours. And you're gonna listen for once." Ross looked at Matty darkly, falling silent.

Whilst the Dalek's crowded around the Genesis Ark, Ryan showed Ratliff his own yellow transport button "I could transport out of here, but it only carries one person and I'm not leaving you."

"You'd follow me anywhere. What did I do to you all them months ago?"

"Guess I'm just stupid."

Ratliff squeezed Ryan's shoulder "You're the bravest man I've ever met."

Ryan turned his head, giving Ross a 'yeah, of course' look "What about Ross?"

"Oh right. Bravest Human then.." Ratliff said, both smiling at each other.

"Well, I can't think what the Dalek's need with me. I'm nothing to them."

"You could be..." Ratliff shrugged "whatever's inside that Ark is waking up and I've seen this happen before. The second time I saw a Dalek, it was broken. It was dying. But I touched it. The moment I did that.. I brought it back to life." Ratliff started to keep his voice low so the Dalek's couldn't hear him "as Ross said... when you travel in time in the TARDIS, you soak up all this... um... background radiation. It's harmless, it's just there. But in the Time War, the Dalek's evolved so they could use it as a power supply."

Ryan gazed at Ratliff, obviously taking the piss as he talked as if he was love struck "I love it when you talk technical."

"Shut up. If the Dalek's have got something inside that thing needs waking up..."

"They need you."

"YOU'VE travelled in time - either one of us would do."

"But why would they build something they can't open themselves?" Ryan asked, confused.

Dalek Sek turned around, suddenly interjecting them both "The technology is stolen. The Ark is not of Dalek design."

"Then who built it?" Ratliff asked.

"The Time Lords. This all that survives of their Home World."

The four Dalek's then started to shuffle around the Ark. "What's inside?" Ratliff asked.

"The future."

Ratliff started at the Ark and the surrounding Dalek's with fearful apprehension.

Ross was pressed up against the white expanse of the wall with his head against it, squinting as if trying to hear something. Matty stood behind him "When you left this world, we checked the underground where the dead Cybermen were. Apparently that explosion didn't kill them and I don't know how either. So we sealed them all up under there with no way out."

Ross stepped away from the wall, facing Matty and Jake. "Except people argued. Said they were living. We should HELP them." Jake continued on explaining.

"And the debate went on," Matty said, taking this half of the explanation "but all that time, the Cybermen made plans. Infiltrated this version of Torchwood, mapped themselves onto your world, and then vanished."

"When was this?" Ross asked.

"Almost 2 years ago."

They all then strolled down the room. "It's taken them almost two years to cross the void, but we can pop to and from in a second. Must be the sheer mass of five million Cybermen crossing all at once."

Matty nodded "Yeah, Ryan said you'd rattle off that sort of stuff."

Ross smiled "Oh, where is Ryan-boy?"

"He went ahead first. Any chance to go and find a Mr Ellington Ratliff."

"He's your brother," Ross said almost straight away "you do know that? Don't say you don't because Ratliff even told me you said that to him that you admitted he was. Did Ryan explain?"

Matty rolled his eyes, with a change of mind and heart "He's not my brother. He's the little brother of a dead man," they reached the window, looking down at the scene below "look at it. A world full of peace. They're calling this 'The Golden Age'."

"Who's the President now?"

"A women called Harriet Jones."

Ross exhaled "I'd keep an eye on her."

"But it's a lie. Temperatures have risen by two degrees in the past six months. The ice caps are melting. They're saying all this is gonna be flooded. That's not just global warming, is it?" Matty asked, knowing anyway. Ross shook his head as he looked down "it's the breech..." Matty added at the end.

Ross became irked "I've been trying to tell you - travel between parallel worlds is impossible. Then the Dalek's break down the walls with the sphere-"

"Dalek's?" Matty questioned.

Ross continued, regardless of how many interruptions he was going to get from Matty "-then the Cybermen travelled across, then you lot - those disks - every time you jump from one reality to another, you rip a hole in the universe. This planet is starting to boil. Keeping going and BOTH world's will fall into the Void!"

Matty turned around to Ross as he walked away from him "But you can stop it - the famous Ross..? You can seal the breech?"

"Leaving five million Cybermen on my Earth."

Matty shrugged "That's your problem. I'm protecting this world, and this world only."

Ross laughed softly, looking Matty up and down "Hmm... Matty Ratliff.. I knew you when you were dead. Now here you are, fighting the fight... alone..." Ross stepped closer to him "there is a chance... back on my world... Jenna Ratliff might still be alive."

"My sister's dead."

"Her brother died. Good match."

Matty rolled his eyes, he was told by Ryan, Ross had an attitude like this he just didn't think it would be this bad "There's more important things at stake," he began to please "Ross... help us."

Ross started to back away from him "What? Close the breach?" He asked before going on "stop the Cybermen? Defeat the Dalek's? Do you believe I can do that?"

"Yes." Matty said, confidently.

Ross shrugged "Maybe that's all I needed," he said quickly under his breath. He then grinned "Off we go then!"

Ross, Jake and Matty appeared in the Rift Chamber of the normal Earth where all hell was breaking lose. And now, it was - hopefully - all gonna finally come to an end. Ross went over to Jake and took his gun off him "Now then, Jake-y boy, if I can open up that bonding chamber on this thing, it could work on polycarbide."

"What's polycarbide?" Jake asked.

"Skin of a Dalek."

Ross stuck a piece of an A4 sheet of paper on a stick, using it as a surrender flag which was part of his plan. Right now he was sticking it around the corner of the wall near the Sphere Chamber, waving it comically to two Cybermen who hadn't even noticed he was there waving it as they were walking in the opposite direction. He then stepped out into the corridor a few seconds later "Sorry." He said, finally catching the Cybermen's attention.

The Cybermen, a short way down the corridor, spin around and look at him. Ross spoke apologetically to them "No white flag... I only had a sheet of A4. Same difference."

One of the two Cybermen held out it's fist before him, ready to shoot at Ross "Do you surrender?"

Ross marched forward to meet them both "I surrender. Unto you," Ross and the Cyberman were now nose to nose "A very good idea." Ross grinned.

At last, the Dalek's backed away from the Genesis Ark "Final stage of awakening." Dalek Caan said, coming away from it.

Dalek Sek once again spun around, facing Ratliff "Your hand print will open the Ark."

Ratliff gave Dalek Sek a funny look "Tough, I'm not doing it."

"Obey, or the other male will die."

Ratliff then immediately moved towards the Ark. He wasn't letting Ryan die after coming from the parallel world, especially after what's happened "I can't let them.." He said.

"Ratliff, don't..." Ryan warned.

"Place your hand upon the casket." Dalek Sek ordered.

"Alright!" Ratliff yelled violently, getting annoyed by it's voice telling him to do stuff. You literally had not idea how annoying a Dalek's voice could be until you met one. Ratliff turned to the Ark "You're gonna kill us anyway, so what the hell?"

Playing for time, Ratliff turned back to Dalek Sek and stood right in front of it "If you um.. escaped the Time War... don't you want to know what happened?"

"Place your hand-"

"What happened to the Emperor of the Dalek's?" Ratliff asked, referring to Davros who he'd met a while back when he thought he had killed the last Dalek. Apparently not.

"The Emperor survived."

"Till he met me..." Ratliff grinned at the Dalek's "cause if these are gonna be my last words, then you're gonna listen. I met the Emperor. And I took the Time Vortex and I pulled it into his head and turned him into dust. Do you get that? The God of all Dalek's... and I destroyed him." He gave Dalek Sek a gloating smile and laughed in his face.

Dalek Sek became furious "You will be EXTERMINATED!"

"Oh now, hold on, wait a minute." A familiar voice said from the doorway.

"Alert, alert - you are Ross."

Ratliff smiled with delight as he saw Ross come into the room. Ross sauntered into the room, wearing - yet again - his 3D glasses. "Sensors report he is unarmed." Dalek Thay said.

Ross spoke lightly "That's me. Always."

"Then you are powerless." Dalek Sek said.

"Not me," he took off his 3D glasses with a flourish "Never," he turned to Ratliff "How are you?"

Ratliff just continued grinning at Ross happily "Oh , same old, you know."

"Good! And Ronald McDonald!" Ross smiled, turning to Ryan and bashing fists together "Nice to see ya!"

Ryan smiled "You too, boss."

"Social interaction will cease!" Dalek Jast interrupted.

"How did you survive the Time War?" Dalek Sek asked.

"By fighting. On the front line." Ross told him. Ryan turned, as if this was the first time he had heard of this. Ross continued "I was there at the fall of Arcadia. Someday I might even come to terms with that. But you lot - ran away!"

"We had to survive."

Ross shrugged as if he didn't care, just being his usual old, sarcastic self really "The last four Dalek's in existence. So what's so special about YOU?"

Ratliff spoke in a low voice, close to Ross "Ross, they've got names. And Dalek's don't have names, do they? One of them said they-"

"I am Dalek Thay."

"Dalek Sek."

"Dalek Jast."

"Dalek Caan."

"So THAT's it!" Ross said, seemingly delighted "At least.. the Cult of Skaro. I thought you were just a legend."

"Who are they?" Ratliff asked.

Ross began to stroll around all four of the Cult of Skaro, taking a good look at them all "A secret order. Above and beyond the Emperor himself. Their job was to imagine. Think as the enemy thinks. Even dared to have names," he took a small pause "all to find new ways of killing." He said, distastefully.

Ryan gestured to the Ark "But that thing, they said it was yours. I mean, Time Lords. They built it. What does it do?"

Ross glanced at it, turning to Ryan and shrugged "I don't know. Never seen it before."

Ratliff have Ross a confusing look "But it's... Time Lord."

"Both sides had secrets," he turned to the Dalek's "What is it? What have you done?" he asked, as if he had some sort of kid with him who was acting as if they had done something wrong and were trying to hide it not so well.

Dalek Sek spoke "Time Lord science will restore Dalek supremacy."

"What does that mean? What sort of Time Lord science? What do you mean?"

Ratliff stepped forward "They said one touch from a time traveller will wake it up."

"Technology using the one thing a Dalek can't do," Ross looked right into the eye stalk of Dalek Sek "touch. Sealed inside your casing. Not feeling anything... ever... from birth to death, locked inside a cold metal cage," Ross the whispered "completely alone... And that explains your voice. No wonder you scream."

"Ross will open the Ark!"

Ross laughed contemptuously "Ross will not."

"You have no way of resisting."

Ross sighed "Well... you got me there," he rocked back and forth of his heels a few times before stopping "although... there is always this." he took the sonic screwdriver out from his pocket.

"A sonic probe?" Dalek Sek asked.

"Ew no," Ross said disgustingly "it's 'screwdriver'."

"It is harmless." Dalek Sek said, scornfully.

"Oh yes. Harmless is just the word. That's why I like it. Doesn't kill, doesn't wound, doesn't maim. But I'll tell you what it does do - it is VERY good at opening doors."

He activated the screwdriver, and immediately the doors to the Sphere Chamber exploded inwards where Jake, his men and the two Cybermen leaped into action, firing their guns at the Dalek's.

"Delete! Delete! Delete! Delete!" The two Cybermen kept repeating as they walked into the room.

"Alert!" Dalek Caan yelled "Casing impact, casing impact!"

Ross grabbed Ratliff and flung himself and Ratliff too the floor, Ross on top of Ratliff so he was protected more, trying to avoid the gun bullets. He then slowly got off Ratliff as the guns still fired "Ratliff, get out!"

Ratliff got up from the floor and made a break towards the door, but he stumbled and fell to the floor.

Dalek Sek now started yelling over the gun shots "Fire power insufficient! Fire power insufficient!"

Matty ran over and helped Ratliff up to his feet. Ratliff look up and was surprised to see Matty there, Matty saw Ratliff was going to say something and because there was no time to say anything to one another, Matty grabbed Ratliff by the hand and dragged him too the door and out of the room. Ryan then picked up his fun from the floor and started firing it anywhere at the Dalek's and Genesis Ark.

"Dalek's will be deleted. Delete! Delete!" A Cyberman kept on repeating as it shot at the Dalek's.

Ross managed to reach Ratliff and Matty in the doorway, where he gave Ratliff a quick hug making Matty smile a little even though he directed his attention to what was going on. They stood in the doorway where they were out of harms way of the Dalek's and Cybermen.

Ratliff started yelling at Ryan, who was still in the midst of the havoc "Ryan, come on!"

"Adapt to weaponry!" Dalek Thay said.

"Fire power restored!" Dalek Sek yelled.

The Dalek's fired once at the Cyber men, immediately destroying them with only one hit. Jake managed to reach the door whilst the Dalek's destroyed both of the Cybermen - but as Ryan was about to run to the door, he lost his footing and accidentally put his hand upon the Genesis Ark, leaving a red hot hand print there. He then dashed for the door.

Ryan winced in pain as he looked at his hand once he was outside in the corridor with Ross, Ratliff, Jake and Matty. The rest of Jake's men managed to slip through the doors before it closed, sealing both the Dalek's and the Cybermen inside.

Ross turned to Jake as they were now safe outside in the corridor "Jake, check the stairwell! The rest of you, come on!"

Inside, the Dalek's finished off two more of the Cybermen which were the last of them. Ross and everyone else in the corridor just ran as fast as they could away from the Sphere chamber as steam poured from the gaps in the Genesis Ark. "Cybermen have been exterminated," Dalek Sek said "Dalek's are supreme."

"The Genesis Ark is primed." Dalek Jast said.

"The Ark needs area of thirteen square miles. Move!"

The Ark glide smoothly across the floor as the Dalek's were either on each side or behind it, Dalek Sek leading from the front, as they moved towards the door to leave to where they needed to be "Genesis Ark mobile!" Dalek Jast said.

Ross, Ratliff, Ryan and Matty all ran down the corridor as fast as they could to find somewhere safe. Ryan started talking, referring to him touching the Ark "I just fell, I didn't mean it!"

Ross spoke as he ran, Ratliff and Matty behind, Ryan beside him "Ryan, without us, they'd have opened it by force. To do that, they'd have blown up the sun. You've done us a favour!" Ross kissed the top of Ryan's head as they ran "Now run!"

_**Next Time: Doomsday: The Breech/The Void**_

_**Then: Doomsday: Goodbye**_

_**After: The Runaway Bride: Rydel**_

* * *

_**Oh god, I really don't wanna write the next chapter :( It hurts just thinking about it T_T I never thought I'd get this far when I first started writing this story.. and nwo I am.. Oh well, suck it up Paige you've wrote worse things. (I really haven't)**_

_**All I am saying.. Prepare yourselves bc I cried like a bitch when I watched this episode of Doctor Who by the end of it.**_

_**6 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_


	15. Doomsday: The Void

**All I have to say.. is that.. I'm sorry for what you are about to read.**

_Torchwood Computer_

* * *

**_Doomsday: The Void_**

Jenna had been running for ages up and down the stairs to get to the Rift Chamber to try find Ross again or try to find Ratliff. So far, she hadn't bumped into any Cybermen so that was good. She'd seen the occasional one, but she would always hide and run in the opposite direction. Right now she didn't know if she was any closer to the Sphere Chamber or any closer to the Rift Chamber. As long as she got to any of them, she didn't care. All she wanted was to see Ross or Ratliff's face, that way she'd know she was safe.

Ha. Check that out. She never thought she'd say she would be glad to see Ross's face. Not that she doesn't like Ross, she does act like she doesn't like him most of the time, but the truth is she loves him to pieces. Almost like another brother to her, of course.. From Ratliff's perspective, not so much.

She continued running down the stairs when she came to a abrupt halt - Cybermen were approaching from the bottom of the stairs. She looked around for an exit when she saw a door behind her, Jenna sighed with relief before she ran back up the stairs and burst through the door, shutting it behind her. She turned around and started running down the corridor, it looked like the corridor that the Sphere Chamber was on.

Jenna looked in front of her where she saw two Cybermen heading straight for her, she yelped as she came to a stop right in front of them both. She was doomed.

"You will be upgraded."

"No, but you can't!" Jenna whimpered "please-"

Before Jenna got the chance to finish off the sentence, the two Cybermen were shot from behind - falling to the floor dead and destroyed. The smoke from the Cybermen, she looked through the smoke to see some guy - who looked awfully familiar - accompanied by Ross, Ratliff and Ryan. Jenna squinted through the smoke to get a proper look at the guy holding the gun up, lowering it, uncomprehending. She put two and two together, Ross and Ratliff were there.. and Ryan was there.

But wasn't Ryan trapped in a Parallel World with some guy called Jake and her 'dead-in-this-world' older brother Matty?

Jenna's eyes widened as she realised who it was "Matty!" She said, shocked but kind of relieved.

Behind, Ratliff's hands went up to his mouth as he watched was probably about to unfold.

"Hey, Jenna.." Matty waved, even though he had a gun in his hands.

Jenna sighed, almost annoyed, her tone plaintive "I said there were ghosts, but that's not fair. Why him?"

"I'm.. I'm not a ghost.." Matty shook his head.

"But you're dead. You died eight years ago." Jenna told him, completely forgetting about the Parallel World situation.

Ross stepped forward tentatively, in an attempt to explain "It's Matty from a different Universe. There are Parallel Worlds, Jenna. Every single decision we make creates a parallel existence, a different dimension where-"

"Oh you can shut up." Jenna snapped at him. And for once in his life Ross actually shut up and stepped back into the background next to Ratliff, Matty smiled. Jenna gazed at Matty in amazement, and confusion "You don't look different just... older.."

Matty laughed "Same with you. Last time I saw you, you were-"

Ross coughed "Don't."

"How can you be standing there?"

Matty shrugged "Just got lucky... lived my life. You and Ratliff were left on your own."

Jenna let out a small laugh "Look at me - eight years later and I've done nothing with myself."

"Brought HIM up. Ellington Lee Ratliff."

"Erm," Ratliff interrupted "I think you'll find that was the other way around!"

Jenna and Matty let out small laughs towards Ratliff. Matty looked back at Jenna, sighing with a frown "Things is though... Jen... you're... you're not my sister. I'm sorry but, your not. I mean, we both..." Jenna nodded as Matty was struggling to go on with it, she knew it was the truth but she'd missed him so much she just wanted to run up and hug him. Matty looked at Jenna, trying to fight it "You know, it's just sort of..." he shook his head, sighing "Oh forget about it. Come here."

He started going towards her and eventually they both met where he picked her off the floor hugging her tightly. He know he said before that Jenna and Ratliff weren't really his brother and sister, but in reality they really were. He was just being stubborn and not letting go to what happened to them back in the Parallel World.

"C'mon, we need to fix this now before it's too late." Ross said. All five of them then made their way to wherever Ross was taking them. More than likely the Rift room.

Apparently not.

He led them all to the outside of the factory floor where there was a battle between the Cybermen and Dalek's taking place. Ross discretely opened the door, watching them as they fought, peering into the lab with only his head waiting for the right moment to enter. Ross quickly dived into the room as the fight went on, being watched by an anxious Ratliff who winced every time a beam from either a Cyberman or one of the Dalek's went near him.

Ross went over to the box near by and picked up two of the magnaclamps that Yvonne had showed him earlier, right now he had a feeling he was going to need them. He made his way back to the door, using the clamps to deflect the beam rays that were being shot at him. It worked. As he got near the door, he ended up tripping over a Cyberman's body. "Come on, please.." Ratliff whispered.

Ross quickly got to his feet and slipped through the door to safety away from the Dalek's and Cybermen. Ratliff closed the door after him.

After a few moments, the door re-opened and Ross's head popped around. This time, he was wearing the 3D glasses - again.

"Override roof mechanism." Dalek Sek said before the roof above them began to open up slowly.

Ratliff crawled underneath Ross so he could see as well "What are they doing? Why'd they need to get outside?!"

"Time Lord science- WHAT Time Lord science?" Ross said out loud, baffled. He took off the glasses "what is it?"

Dalek Sek elevated through the ceiling into the open air outside with the Genesis Ark. Ross shut the door after Dalek Sek had done so.

Ross ran back down the corridor with the others following behind, he shouted to them "We've gotta see what it's doing, we've gotta go back up! Come on! All of you! Top floor!"

Jenna ran, shouting to Ross "That's forty-five floors up! Believe me, I've done them all!"

Jake then popped his head out from the lift "We could always take the lift.."

As Dalek Sek rised up the side of Canary Wharf, the lift rise to the top floor also. "Genesis Ark will open." Dalek Sek said. Within seconds, the Genesis Ark opened slowly to reveal a Dalek, then the Ark began to spin around spitting out thousands of Dalek's each second flooding the whole of London, and soon the whole world.

Everyone finally reached the top floor, stepping out of the lift and rushing over to the window, Ross dumped down the magnaclamps down on Yvonne's desk as he went over to the window. They all watched as the Genesis Ark spun around and Dalek's shot out of them, more and more of them as time went on and it spun faster. Ross stared in horror "Time Lord science... it's bigger on the inside..."

Ryan watched out the window next to Ross "Did the Time Lords put those Dalek's in there? What for?"

"It's a prison ship."

Ratliff looked at Ross "How many Dalek's?"

"Millions."

They continued to watch as the Dalek's just continued spreading. Matty shook his head, finally had enough, he walked away from the window into the middle of the Rift Chamber "I'm sorry, but you've had it. This world's gonna crash and burn. We're going home. Jen, take this." He tossed Jenna one of the yellow buttons that transport them from this world to the Parallel World.

Jenna caught the button, looking at Matty "But they're destroying the city!"

Matty smiled at Jenna "I figured you'd be able to argue just like Mom," he took the button from Jenna and looped it around Jenna's neck himself "but, it's not just London, it's the whole world," Matty made Jenna look at him as she kept on looking away "but there's another world, just waiting for you, Jen. And it's safe. As long as Ross closes the breech. Ross?"

Ross turned around from the window with his 3D glasses on with a big grin across his face "Oh, I'm ready," He said gleefully "I've got the equipment right here! Thank you, Torchwood!" He said as he dashed over to a computer "slam it down and close off both universes."

_"Reboot systems."_

Ratliff looked around and then to Ross "But we can't just leave. What about the Dalek's?" Ratliff asked as he followed Ross around the room as he was doing stuff to the computers "And the Cybermen-?"

Ross stood up, turning to Ratliff cutting him off "They're part of the problem. And THAT makes them part of the solution. Oh yes!" Ratliff laughed nervously as Ross spoke, Ross had seemed to of acquired a new lease of life "Well?! Isn't anyone gonna ask? What is it with the glasses?"

Ratliff grinned "What is it with the glasses?"

"I can SEE! That's what! Cause we've got two separate worlds, but in-between the two separate worlds, we've got the Void. That where the Dalek's were hiding. And the Cybermen travelled through the Void to get here! And you lot," He said pointing to Ryan, Jake and Matty "one world to another, via the Void. Oh, I like that. Via the Void! Look!" Ross took off the glasses and pressed them into Ratliff's face "I've been through it. Do you see?"

He dodged about so Ratliff could see, with the aid of the glasses, he was surrounded by floating green and red particles. Ratliff reached out to try touch them.

_"Reboot in three minutes."_

"Void stuff." Ross said.

"Like um.. Background radiation!" Ratliff said.

"That's it," Ross smiled, standing beside Ratliff and turning him to face the others "look at the others."

Ratliff looked at Jake, Ryan, Jenna and Matty who were all stood together. Jenna seemed to be the only one not surrounded by the 'Void stuff'. Ross pointed to her "The only one who hasn't been through the Void - your sister. First time she's looked normal in her life."

Ratliff giggled. "Oi!" Jenna said, almost snapping at him. Even if she was gonna go to this parallel world and live there for the rest of her life, she certainly wasn't going to miss Ross's little comments about her.

Ross turned around and dashed over to the big white wall at the end of the room, followed by Ratliff close behind "The Dalek's lived inside the Void. They're bristling with it. Cybermen - all of them. I just open the Void - end of verse. The Void stuff gets sucked back inside."

"PULLING them all in!" Ratliff said, just as enthusiastic as Ross was right now.

"Pulling them all in!"

"Sorry.." Ryan said, interrupting their little enthusiasm that they had going on "what's-what's the Void?"

"The dead space. Some people call it 'Hell'."

Ryan looked a button around his neck "So.. you're sending the Dalek's and Cybermen to hell," Ryan turned to Jake who was next to him "man, I told you he was good."

Ratliff looked around with the glasses on, his smile wiping off his face as he realised something "But it's... like you said, we've ALL got Void stuff. Me too, cause we went to that parallel world." Ratliff put his fingers out in front of him and flexed them, looking at the particles floating around them. He pulled the 3D glasses off as Ross stood before him "we're all contaminated. We'll get pulled in."

Ross sighed, looking at Ratliff sadly "Which is why you've gotta go."

_"Reboot in two minutes."_

Ratliff then stared at Ross uncomprehendingly. Almost like Ross had reached down into his throat and ripped out his heart, which he was basically doing. And if Ross was honest, he felt like he was doing the same to himself "You go back to Matty's world," he pointed at Matty "hey, we should call it that - 'Matty's World'," he then turned back to Ratliff with the expression he had before "I'm opening the Void, but only on this side. You'll be safe on that side."

Ratliff continued to stare at Ross like he had no clue what he was saying. If he was honest, he didn't no more. "And then you close it.. for good?" Matty asked.

Ross looked at Matty from where he was stood "The breech itself is soaked in Void stuff, in the end it'll close itself. And that's it," he looked back at Ratliff "kaput."

Ratliff then only just began to realise more what this meant for him and Ross both together "But you stay on THIS side..?" Ratliff asked.

"But you'll get pulled in." Ryan said.

Ross held Ratliff's gaze for a moment before he ran over to the magnaclamps, Ratliff just stayed put where he was looking like he'd just been smacked in the face with a wrecking ball. "That's why... I got these," Ross said waving both the clamps about "I'll just have to hold on tight - I've been doing it all my life."

Finally, Ratliff turned around facing Ross with an emotionless expression "I'm suppose to go.." he said.

Ross nodded "Yeah."

"To another world, and then it gets sealed off."

"Yeah.." Ross made it pretty obvious he didn't want to talk about this situation, so to distract himself from it he went over to one of the computers.

"Forever.." Ratliff said. He waited a few moments before he laughed at the absurdity of the idea "That's not gonna happen."

A crash from outside shook the whole building. Matty turned from looking at the crash sound, speaking briskly "We haven't got time to argue, the plans work, we go in. You too," he said pointing at Ratliff "ALL of us."

"I'm not leaving him!" Ratliff said angrily, referring to that he wasn't going to leave Ross behind on his own. He wasn't about to leave Ross now. In fact, he had no intention of leaving him ever.

"I'm not going with him." Jenna said, referring to Ratliff.

"Oh, my god," Matty sighed, becoming fed up "we're GOING."

Jenna rolled her eyes "I've had eight years without you, so shut up. I'm not leaving him."

Ratliff turned Jenna around "You've got to."

Jenna's voice raised "Well, that's tough!"

"Jenna..."

_"Reboot in one minute."_

Ratliff's voice trembled with suppressed tears as he spoke in a soft tone "I've had a life with you for almost twenty-one years. But then I met Ross and... all the things I've seen him do for me. For you. For all of us. For the whole... stupid planet and every planet out there. He does it alone, Jenna."

Behind Ratliff as he spoke, Ross watched him with terrible sadness in his eyes as he silently took a button on a chain out of his pocket ready to put it round Ratliff's neck when he was off guard.

"But no anymore," Ratliff backed away from Jenna towards Ross "cause now he's got me."

Ross quickly then looped the chain around Ratliff's neck as he was close to him. Ratliff look in confusion as he done it "What're you-?"

Matty quickly pressed the button as soon as it was on Ratliff's neck. They all disappeared, leaving Ross alone and gazing at the place Ratliff was just stood at with a heavy heart.

All of them reappeared in Parallel Torchwood in the Parallel World. Ratliff looked around, realising where he was "Oh no you don't," Ratliff said under his breath "he's not doing that to me again." Ratliff pressed down on the button where he disappeared.

Reappearing back on normal Earth where Ross was stood at a computer "I think this is the on switch."

Ross looked up from the computer and stared at Ratliff.

Matty snatched the button away from Jenna's neck before she could press it to go back after Ratliff. "But I've gotta go back!" Jenna said.

"Ross said every time you use one of these it damages the whole world. Now that's IT!" Matty spoke forcefully.

"He's your brother!"

"He's your brother, not mine!" Matty walked away, also snatching Ryan's button from around his neck so he didn't try to go back after him either.

"Ryan, tell him!" Jenna said desperately "tell him, Ryan! RYAN!"

Ryan didn't even bother to respond. He had no clue what was about to happen.. all he did know was that, that conversation that Jenna and Matty just had was the one he heard them both having in the Crystal Cave that time with Ross and Ratliff. Now, Ryan can only imagine where this was about to take Ratliff as he remembered him in the Crystal Cave too hearing him crying in his head...

Right now, it didn't look good for him if he thinks this is going where he thinks it's going.

Ross grabbed Ratliff roughly by the shoulder's, stooping slightly so he could look him in the eyes. He spoke as if trying to drum sense into his head "Once the breech collapses, that's it. You will never be able to see her again. Your own sister!"

Ratliff spoke to Ross calmly, even though his voice trembled "I made my choice a long time ago and I'm never gonna leave you." Ross stared at Ratliff for a moment stunned, he then released his grip on his shoulders. Ratliff sighed "so what can I do to help?"

_"Systems rebooted. Open access."_

Ratliff stubbornly held Ross's gaze until finally Ross gave in, he pointed to the computer "Those co-ordinates over there, set them all at six," He said. Ratliff done as he was told and walked over to the computer, Ross watched him as he done so "And hurry up!" He said, sounding almost angry. In which he was. Don't get him wrong, he's so relieved and happy Ratliff is staying with him because now it might give them a 'chance' together, but he still feels like it's not fair because he'll never see Jenna ever again once the breech collapses.

Ratliff leaned over to the computer doing as he was asked, taking the button from around his neck and glancing at Ross nervously.

Jenna kept on pushing Matty away from her as he tried to hug her as she was crying. What he didn't seem to realise was that it was Matty's fault she was like this, he's the one who won't let her go back to Ratliff. He'd rather be with him anyway. If it wasn't for him Jenna would probably be in a foster home or just about getting out of a foster home, now she's never gonna see him again her own brother.

Once again Matty tried to come near her, she pushed him away with all the force she had "Get away from me!" she put her hands over her eyes and broke down even more. Which just left Ryan to go over to her and comfort her as best as he could by hugging her, if it was up to him he would let her go back and be with Ratliff rather than Matty. Cause right now, even Ryan wants to.

"We've got Cybermen on the way up." Ratliff said as he looked at the CCTV camera on the computer.

Ross ran over to look "How many floors down?"

"Just one."

"We will retreat through the breech. Regain the Home World." A Cybermen said as he walked up the stairs.

That's when another Cyberman appeared at the top of the stairs, pointing a gun at the others blocking their way. When it spoke, Yvonne's voice was discernable through the Cyber-tone "You will not pass." She said.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"You will NOT pass." she pulled the trigger on the gun, destroying the other Cybermen with a bright ray of white light "I did my duty for Queen and Country. I did my duty for Queen and Country. I did my duty for Queen and Country." She repeated as she killed the Cybermen before her, shedding a single black tear down the side of her now metal face.

Ross was at the computer and typed in a command on the laptop.

_"Levers operational."_

Ross grinned, coming away from the computer. "That's more like it!" Ratliff said, cheered by Ross's happiness as Ross came up to him close "a bit of a smile! The old team..!"

"I'm always happy when I'm with you." Ross smiled at him. Ratliff smiled at him too for a couple of moments of them just staring at each other. At the moment Ross thought Ratliff was going to end up leaning in and kissing him - which he wouldn't of minded, in fact he'd of loved it more than anything else in the world - he snapped back into reality, going over and picking up the magnaclamps, going back to Ratliff with a grin "Hope and Glory, Mutt and Jeff, Shiver and Shake!"

"Which one's shiver?" Ratliff asked, obviously pretending the last few seconds never happened.

"Oh, I'm shake." he dumped one of the magnaclamps on Ratliff. Next thing, they both attached them to the wall next to the levers on the opposite sides of the room. Ross turned back to Ratliff after he'd pressed the button which holds the clamp onto the wall "Press the red button."

Ratliff did so, and it stuck onto the wall.

Dalek Sek was still floating in the air, when he sensed what was going on "Breach active. It is Ross! Exterminate him!"

Four of the regular Dalek's - not Dalek Jast, Caan, Thay and Sek - swooped towards the Torchwood Tower with the cries off "Exterminate!"

Ross started to speak very fast so they could get on with opening up the Void "When it stars, just hold on tight. Shouldn't be too hard for us but the Dalek's and the Cybermen are steeped in Void stuff," He paused "are you ready?"

Both of them then went to one of the levers each. Ratliff on the right side and Ross on the left side of the room. They got in the positions beside the levers, getting ready to push them up to open up the Void. Ratliff stared out of the window where he saw four of the Dalek's coming to the window "Looks like they're ready too.." Ratliff said.

They appeared at the window.

"Let's do it!" Ross shouted.

They both pushed the levers upwards with all the strength they had until it was finally up and locked, the wall then opened up so Ross and Ratliff quickly hurried over and took tight hold of the magnaclamps.

_"Online."_

The area filled with white light once more coming from the white wall that was now open, but this time there was also the sound of strong wind which started to pull the Dalek's through the window, smashing the glass as they done so and were pulled into the white light and back to the Void for good. Ross and Ratliff held onto the clamps as tight as they could, almost struggling to hold on.

"The breech is open! Into the Void! HA!" Ross shouted over the wind as he watched the Dalek's and Cybermen being pulled into the Void.

Dalek Sek still floated up in the air, realising what was going on "Emergency temporal shift!" With that, Dalek Sek vanished along with Dalek Jast, Thay and Caan. The Genesis Ark was sucked into Torchwood Tower and into the Void shortly afterwards.

Ratliff smiled at Ross as best as he could as they were billowed by the wind. They continued to watch the Dalek's and Cybermen as they just shot through into the Void.

All of a sudden there was a small explosion which came from the lever on Ratliff's side, it started to switch back going back into it's "off" position. The smiles faded from both of their faces.

_"Offline."_

Even though Ross felt like it was a big mistake doing this, he shouted over to Ratliff "Turn it on!"

The suction from the Void started to ease as Ratliff had one hand on the magnaclamp, and the other reaching out to the lever as it fell further away from him, trying to maintain his grip. But the lever was slightly too far away. He strained to reach the lever, and he ended up falling onto the lever, letting go of the magnaclamp. Ross watched on at this happening, full of dread hoping like hell he would be able to hold on until it was all over.

Ratliff whimpered as he struggled with the lever, the window still blowing and slowly sucking the Dalek's and Cybermen into the Void. "I've gotta get it upright!" He shouted.

He managed to push the lever with all his force, groaning with effort where finally he managed to put the lever upright and back to where it was in the first place when he'd pushed it up. Ross watched with his heart in his mouth, full of fear.

_"Online and locked."_

The suction increased once more back to how it was in the first place when Ross and Ratliff were only just struggling to hold onto the magnaclamp. But now, this meant Ratliff had nothing else to hold onto but the lever.

"Ratliff, hold on!" Ross shouted in desperation.

But the Void pulled at Ratliff, making it near impossible for him to hold on and keep his grip. He winced and cried out with effort as he done his best to keep onto his grip, but he could feel it slowly slipping.

"HOLD ON!" Ross screamed from the top of his lungs.

Ratliff moaned in effort as his strength was almost spent, holding onto the lever with nothing but the ends of his fingers now trying to get his hands wrapped around the lever as he floated in the air holding on for dear life. Ross stared at Ratliff from across the room in absolute horror and terror. He was absolutely powerless and couldn't do anything to help him when he wanted nothing more but to help Ratliff. He wasn't about to lose Ratliff, not this way. Ross reached out to Ratliff in vain, even though he knew he wasn't gonna reach him with how far apart they were.

Ratliff felt his fingers slipping from the lever as he cried out and groaned. With one last cry, Ratliff's grip finally slipped from the lever and he was pulled inexorably towards the Void, screaming knowing death was about to come to him as soon as he went through the wall.

"RATLIFF!" Ross screamed out from the top of his lungs as loud as he could as if he was in great pain, as Ratliff was being pulled away from him towards the wall.

Ratliff continued to let out a scream of death as he was getting closer and closer to the wall, hearing Ross scream his name out as he was pulled. "RATLIFF!" Ross screamed again in pretty much the same way he did before.

Lucky/unlucky for Ratliff, Matty appeared in front of the wall before Ratliff reached the breech, Ratliff just fell into Matty's arms which stopped him from going into the wall.

Ratliff only had a little bit of time to glance over his shoulder and looked at Ross one final time before he and Matty disappeared, back to the Parallel World.

And this time forever.

Ross stared at the place where Ratliff and Matty had disappeared, breathing very heavily with a mixed of sadness, anger and shock on his face. The breach then closed itself as the wind died down, leaving the WHOLE place silent with only just Ross on it.

_"Systems closed."_

In the Parallel Word in Torchwood, Ratliff was stood at the same wall on the other side. But he was hammering it with his hand as he was in hysterical tears, crying hard.

"Take me back! TA-AKE ME BA-ACK!" He shouted in tears hammering the wall with his hand, breaking down into tears of raw grief, slamming his fist against the wall like there was nothing else "Take me back..."

Matty took the button from around his neck where he, Jenna and Ryan stood a fair distance away from Ratliff. He looked down at the button "It's stopped working," he said "he did it... he closed the breech."

"No.." Ratliff sobbed with his hands pressed against the wall as well as almost his forehead.

Ross slowly walked up the wall on his side. He walked up to it and looked at it for a couple of seconds before he laid one hand/palm flat against it, and then rested the side of his head there, looking empty and heartbroken all in one.

As if he sensed his presence there on the other side of the wall, Ratliff suddenly pressed his cheek against the wall as though he was listening for him, placing his hand/palm in the exact same spot Ross had his on the other side of the wall.

The pair of them stayed that way for a very long moment on either side, just feeling each other for one last time even though it wasn't actually them they were touching.. it just felt like it cause they felt once another's presence. Another sob escaped from Ratliff.

After staying like that for a while, Ross let his hand slide down the wall on his side of the wall.

Ratliff done the exact same thing, as if he knew Ross was no longer there, feeling the loss as potently as if they had really been touching through the wall.

Ross turned away from the wall, expressionless like he had no clue what had just happened within the space of 2 minutes. One minute they were both so happy ready to save the world, the next minute... the love of his life's trapped in a Parallel World. By force. Which was something he never ever wanted to happen ever to any of his friends, especially to someone he loved.

And now he was never going to have the chance to tell him he loved him ever again.

He just walked away from the wall slowly, hands in his pockets.

Ratliff leant against the wall, wiping the never ending tears that was falling from his face as he looked over to the only three people he had left in the world. Ryan, Jenna and... Matty.

The three of them watched Ratliff uncomfortably, at a loss for words not knowing what to say. Clearly seeing now how much Ratliff really wanted to stay with Ross.. and how much he loved him. Jenna stood in the middle of Matty and Ryan, taking both of their hands as they watched Ratliff at the wall.

At last, Ratliff turned away from the wall - still leaning against it - his face was soaked with tears from his eyes downwards, some even fell off his face and onto his shirt. But he didn't care. He'd basically lost everything in one day.

He took one sad look downwards at the wall as he was still leant against it before walking away from it sadly.

**Next: Doomsday: Goodbye**

**Then: The Runaway Bride: Rydel**

**Later: The Runaway Bride: Part 2**

**After: Lynch & Marano**

* * *

***ducks from thrown objects* I'm actually wondering now how many times I've had to do that with some of the stories I've written...**

**But yeah, sorry for the emotional mess I just put you all through... Just.. if you watch Doctor Who... Do NOT watch this episode unless you wanna have some sort of mental breakdown like I did.**

**6 OR MORE REVIEWS FOR THE NEXT ONE, IF YA WANT IT.**


	16. Doomsday: Goodbye

**Seriously, do most of you have some sort of disease where you don't review or read long chapters? I'm actually convinced of it. **

**What a way to start a sad chapter? With fucking annoyance. AGAIN.**

_Dream/Flashback_

* * *

_**Doomsday: Goodbye**_

**Ratliff's P.O.V**

Last night I had a dream.

_"Ratliff..."_

I heard a voice and it was calling my name.

_"Ratliff... Ratliff... Ratliff..."_

* * *

_Ratliff sat in front of a roaring fireplace in his new home he'd been living in for the past 2 days ever since he got separated from Ross. He sat in front of Ryan, Jenna, Matty and his Mom "I had a dream.. um.."_

I told Jenna, Matty, Ryan and my Mom. My Mom because she had been hearing all sorts of stories from Jenna and Ryan about Ross and sometimes me and Ross together, I never breathed a word to anyone about it because it hurt too much to think about after what happened.

If I'd of told the dream to anybody else, they would think I was mad. But not them four, because three out of four had met Ross. So they listened to the dream.

_"He was calling me, and.."_

And that night, we packed up. Got into Matty's old Jeep and off we went.

Just like the dream said.

Followed the voice... across the water... kept on driving hundreds and hundreds of miles. Because he's calling.

_"Ratliff..."_

Here I was at last on some beach in Norway where he apparently was.

And this is the story of how I died.

**End of P.O.V.**

Ratliff came to a halt in the middle of the beach and stood there waiting for Ross, whilst Jenna, Ryan, Matty and his Mom waited over at the Jeep for him. He waited for a few seconds when to his left, Ross faded out of thin air. Ratliff turned to him, seeing that Ross was slightly translucent. Ratliff gave Ross a confused look, because he looked see through "Where are you?" He asked.

"Inside the TARDIS," Ross said, his voice sounding distance. In reality, out of the parallel world and in the TARDIS, he stood by the TARDIS console facing straight ahead "there's one tiny little gap in the universe left, just about to close. And it takes a lot of power to send this projection, I'm in orbit around a supernova," Ross laughed softly "I'm burning up a sun just to say goodbye."

Ratliff shook his head "You look like a ghost.."

"Hold on.." Ross took the sonic out of his pocket, he pointed it at the console and somehow it strengthened his projection which made it look like he was actually there stood in front of Ratliff.

Ratliff walked over to Ross, he raised his hand to touch his face "Can I t-?"

"I'm still just an imagine," Ross said regretfully, even though he wanted nothing more for him to touch him and vice versa "no touch.."

"Can't you come through properly?" Ratliff asked, his voice trembling.

Ross shook his head "The whole thing would fracture. Two universes would collapse."

"So?" Ratliff said, half jokingly.

Ross smiled. They both watched each other for a few moments before Ross looked around at their surroundings "Where are we? Where did the gap come out?"

"About fifty miles out of Bergen. It's called 'Darlig Ulv Stranden'."

Ross became surprised "Dalek?"

"Darl_ig_," Ratliff made the 'ig' stick out "it's Norwegian for 'bad'," Ross continued to stare at Ratliff, brow furrowed as if he knew where this was going. "this translates as 'Bad Wolf Bay'."

Both of them then laughed at the irony, because of when Ratliff had looked into the heart of the TARDIS and ended up doing the whole Bad Wolf thing. But the laughter turned sober almost immediately.

Ratliff's voice started cracking "How long have we got?"

"About two minutes..."

"I can't think of what to say!" He said, almost laughing at the absurdity.

Ross laughed too, then he glanced over at where Jenna, Matty, Ryan and Ratliff's Mom were waiting by the Jeep "You've still got Mr. Ryan then? And some.. other women..?"

Ratliff smiled a little "That's my Mom," Ratliff said, making Ross smile about an inch "but.. there's six of us now. Mom, Matty, Jenna, Ryan and... the baby."

Ross's eyes widened, he soon became taken-aback "You.. you didn't..."

"No," Ratliff laughed "I didn't move on that fast you idiot, I don't think I will," he said, not realising that had actually came out of his mouth. He took a deep breath "it's Jenna.. Yeah.. Apparently when I was 'away' in the TARDIS.. she had her boyfriend over.. and yeah.."

Ross laughed with some relief "Good thing for him he's in a different universe to you, then?"

Ratliff felt a sting at that, but tried not to show it "Oh, you bet he is.." Ratliff sighed "she's three months gone. More Ratliff's on the way."

Ross nodded "And what about you? Are you...?"

Ratliff nodded also "Y-yeah... I'm-I'm back working in the shop."

"G-good for you.." Ross said, even though he knew it was the last thing Ratliff ever wanted. To be stuck in the stupid shop again.

Ratliff laughed for a moment, like it was just like old times "Shut up. No, I'm not," He said "there's still a Torchwood in this planet, it's open for business," Ratliff then started to tear up "I think I know a thing or two about aliens."

Ross smiled proudly at him, also speaking proudly too "Ellington Ratliff. Defender of the Earth," another lingering look came between the both of them as Ratliff's eyes started filling up quicker. Ross didn't want to say this next bit, but he had to say it at some point right? "Your dead. Officially, back home," He said, making Ratliff begin to cry quietly "so many people died that day and you've gone missing. You're on the list of the dead," Ratliff continued to cry, so Ross decided to try cheer him up a little bit "here you are," Ross smiled "living a life day after day. The one adventure I can never have."

"Am I ever gonna see you again?" Ratliff asked, sobbing in the earnest now.

"You can't.." Ross said quietly, being so, so, so, so sorry about it. And pained too.

"What're you gonna do?" He asked, continuing to sob.

Ross shrugged, trying to be happy when clearly he wasn't and trying to fight tears, as you could tell by his voice by the way he spoke "Oh, I've got the TARDIS. Same old life. Last of the Time Lords."

"On your own?" Ratliff's voice cracked, still sobbing as tears fell down his cheeks.

Ross nodded silently, still watching Ratliff with compassion and so much freaking love that he didn't know he was able to show.

Ratliff surveyed him, hopelessly heartbroken at all if this, tears falling thick and fast "I lo-" Ratliff choked with tears before he could finish his sentence. He took a moment to regain his composure. Before...

"I love you..." Ratliff told him, right before another shudder of sobs escaped him.

Ross gazed at him with heart-rending tenderness and devotion "Your quite alright too." He said softly. Ratliff nodding at him, smiling at him through his tears.

Ross continued gazing at him "And I suppose..." He started "if it's my last chance to say it.." he couldn't believe he was about to say this. He paused for a moment, his eyes locked with Ratliff's.

"Ellington Ratliff, I-"

But their time ran out. Before he even got a chance to finish it off, he faded away into nothingness from the Parallel World forever.

Ratliff was left alone after Ross disappeared, right when he was about to say the thing Ratliff had been waiting for him to say. He screwed his face up against the pain he was feeling from all of this, sobbing hard into his hands. Possibly harder than he was when they got separated.

Ross stood alone in the TARDIS, his eyes filled with tears which spilled out down his cheeks rapidly. His mouth was already open to form the words he never got to say and was so desperate too, for a very long while now. He'd never say that to anybody before. Not ever. And when he gets the chance to say it, it doesn't happen. Ross swallowed hard as tears fell down his face, closing his eyes with a heavy heart.

Ratliff tried to wipe his eyes that had tears in, but it was no use they just kept on falling more rapidly and more quicker as he was beginning to lose control of his tears. He really couldn't even use any worlds to explain the pain he was feeling right now. It wasn't like he was going to be able to hide he was terribly and brutally heartbroken from his brother, sister, Mom and Ryan. They already knew he was.

So he turned around and faced them all, trying to control his tears but he ended up crying inconsolably. There was just no end to them. Matty, full of concern and feeling his own heart break for his little brother, he stepped out from behind Ryan, Jenna and her Mom and began to run across the beach towards Ratliff to give him a hug. Ratliff sighed through his inconsolable tears and began to run towards him too to meet her half way there. Once they were at each other, Matty wrapped her arms around Ratliff and hugged him to try comfort him but it didn't work. He just kept on crying and crying, burying his head into Matty's shoulder in the crook of his neck, utterly and completely wrenched and heartbroken.

Ross rubbed his hands over his eyes, wiping the tears away trying not to get too upset even though it was killing him deep inside. He knows if he started crying badly like Ratliff was, then he wouldn't stop. Just the thought of never seeing Ratliff ever again made him wanna break down on the floor and cry.

After rubbing his eyes, he took a deep breath and turned his attention to the TARDIS console, pushing the buttons and levers as walked slowly around it without any of his former enthusiasm. It was like a vampire had bit him and drained all of his happiness and enthusiasm out of him and the pain he was experiencing was that great it felt like he'd been smacked in the face by a lorry that was on fire with nuclear weapons and stuff on board it.

Because here we was yet again in the TARDIS... alone. Back to square one.

Once he had done a full circle around the TARDIS and was standing in the place he was before, he suddenly looked up and his eyes widened with shock.

Standing by the door, with her back to him, stood a bride.

A blonde haired bride.

How the HELL did she get on board?

"What?" Ross said aghast.

The blonde bride, Rydel, turned around saw him standing there. She yelped with surprise.

"What?!" He said, even more confused.

"Who are you?" She asked, disdainfully.

Ross looked around, dumbfounded "But-"

"Where am I?"

"What?!"

"What the hell is this place?!" She yelled.

"WHAT?!"

**Next: The Runaway Bride: Rydel**

**Then: The Runaway Bride: Part 2**

**Later: Lynch & Marano**

**After: The Shakespeare Code**

* * *

**Ahh! Sad :( I'm sorry. but there goes Ell out of this story :/ But hey, Rydel's in it now for about 2 or more chapters! She seems like an interesting/funny character, right? And trust me... SHE IS. haha cx**

**Hope you liked it! :D**

**6 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**


	17. The Runaway Bride: Rydel

_Flashbacks_

**_The Runaway Bride: Rydel_**

**A Couple Minutes Earlier**

A bride, Rydel, stood outside of the altar room in the church, ready to be given away by her Father. They were both ready to walk down the aisle when Rydel noticed that her Father, Geoff, had his arm linked through her arm rather than the other way around. Rydel swapped the positions of her arm, linking her arm through his with a slight cough. "Sorry.." Geoff said.

The organ started to play from inside and Rydel sighed happily, as the doors opened up the congregation stood. Rydel's fiancé, Lance, caught her eye from the front of the church, both of them sharing a smile at one another in anticipation. Rydel and Geoff began to walk slowly down the aisle, which elicited the sound of appreciation from their friends and family - except from one blonde women, Nerys, who looked at Rydel up and down with a look of pure contempt.

The two of them were half way down the aisle when Rydel started to glow gold, Lance's eyes widened as he saw. That wasn't right. It took Rydel a moment to notice herself glowing that colour, when she noticed she screamed long and loud.

The congregation members muttered excitedly, obviously thinking it was part of the wedding, then Rydel disappeared into a puff of golden dust, which zoomed upwards and through the ceiling. Only then making the congregation realise, it wasn't part of the wedding.

Ross rubbed his hands over his eyes, wiping the tears away trying not to get too upset even though it was killing him deep inside. He knows if he started crying badly like Ratliff was, then he wouldn't stop. Just the thought of never seeing Ratliff ever again made him wanna break down on the floor and cry.

After rubbing his eyes, he took a deep breath and turned his attention to the TARDIS console, pushing the buttons and levers as walked slowly around it without any of his former enthusiasm. It was like a vampire had bit him and drained all of his happiness and enthusiasm out of him and the pain he was experiencing was that great it felt like he'd been smacked in the face by a lorry that was on fire with nuclear weapons and stuff on board it.

Because here we was yet again in the TARDIS... alone. Back to square one.

Once he had done a full circle around the TARDIS and was standing in the place he was before, he suddenly looked up and his eyes widened with shock.

Standing by the door, with her back to him, stood a bride.

"What?" Ross said aghast.

Rydel spun around at the sound of someone's voice after realising she was elsewhere but the church. She turned around where she came face to face with a blonde boy, she let out a yelp.

"What?!" Ross said, raising his voice becoming even more confused.

"Who are you?" Rydel asked, disdainfully.

Ross looked around, completely dumbfounded, his lip quivered "B-but-"

"Where am I?"

"What?!"

"What the hell is this place?!" Rydel yelled.

"WHAT?!"

Ross started looking around, completely bewildered, looking for some kind of explanation even though he knew he wasn't going to get one "You can't do that, I wasn't... we're in flight! That is- that is physically impossible! How did-?"

Rydel looked at Ross, speaking commandingly "Tell me where I am. I demand you tell me right now- where am I?"

Ross just stared at the stranger in front of him, still bewildered and confused. More than he ever was in his life. It was funny how he could go from completely heartbroken and crying to confused within 10 seconds. "Inside the TARDIS."

"The what?"

"The TARDIS."

Rydel looked at Ross, completely blank "The what?"

"The TARDIS!" Ross repeated, more louder this time. He then turned around back to the controls on the console.

"The what?"

"It's called the TARDIS."

Rydel burst with anger towards Ross from where she stood "That's not even a proper word. You're just saying things."

Ross looked up from the controls and over to Rydel "How did you get in here?"

Rydel became rigid with rage "Well, obviously, when you kidnapped me. Who was it? Who's paying you? It is Nerys? Oh, my god, she's finally got me back. This has got Nerys written ALL over it!"

Ross watched Rydel as she ranted to herself, looking her up and down with confusion "Who the hell is Nerys?"

"Your best friend."

Ross shook his head "Hold on, wait a minute-" Ross said, realising she was dressed in a long white dress and veil "what're you dressed like that for?"

"I'm going ten pin bowling," Rydel said sarcastically with a smile, immediately dropping it, yelling "Why do you I am, Dumbo? I was halfway up the aisle!" Ross began to fiddle with the controls whilst Rydel walked around ranting, giving Ross no choice but to listen "I've been waiting all my life for this. I was just seconds away! And then you- I don't know, you drugged me or something!"

"I haven't done anything!" Ross protested.

"We;re having the police on you! Me and my husband- as soon as he is my husband - we're gonna sue the living backside off of you!"

Ross didn't reply, he was too engrossed in operating the controls on the TARDIS. Rydel looked around, turning her head where she noticed the two double doors from where she was stood before. She smiled, running over to them planning on making an escape.

Ross looked up, noticing, he hurried after her quickly "No, wait a minute! Wait a minute! Don't-!"

But it was too late, Rydel had already thrown open the doors and was now looking upon the super nova the TARDIS was orbiting and burning up, just so Ross could send that projection and goodbye to Ratliff. Rydel's mouth fell open slightly, Ross stood next to her "You're in space," He told her "outer space. This is my.. space-ship. It's called the 'TARDIS'."

Rydel looked upon the super nova, as well as the space around it "How am I breathing?"

"The TARDIS is protecting us."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Ross. What about you?"

"Rydel."

Ross looked her up and down again "Human?"

Rydel nodded "Yeah. Is that optional?"

"Well, it is for me."

Rydel glanced around at Ross, but there wasn't much more room for more surprise "You're an alien."

"Suppose so, yeah."

After a moment of processing everything in her mind, she finally spoke again "It's freezing with these doors open."

Ross then slammed the two doors shut seconds after before he darted back to the console "But I don't understand it and I understand everything! This-this can't happen! There is no way a Human Being can lock itself onto the TARDIS and transport itself inside. It must be..." suddenly, Ross became all energy - he grabbed an ophthalmoscope and used it to look into Rydel's eyes, all the while muttering an endless flow of techno-babble, making Rydel stuck silent with confusion "impossible. Some sort of subatomic connection? Something in the temporal field? Maybe something pulling you into alignment with the Chronon shell. Maybe something macro mining your DNA within the interior matrix. Maybe a genetic-"

Rydel slapped Ross across the face full force. "What was that for?!" Ross asked, indignantly.

"Get me to the church!" Rydel yelled.

Ross dropped the instrument and went back to the controls "Right! Fine! I don't want you here anyway! Where's the wedding?"

"Saint Mary's, Hayden Road, Chiswick, London, England, Earth, the Solar system." Rydel said the last two as if Ross was some kind of stupid person and didn't know what they were, when she knew he probably did. But that's just Rydel for you.

That's when she noticed a zip-hoodie slung over on one of the railings, it was a boys hoodie. But it most definitely wasn't Ross's because she could tell. She walked over to it and snatched it up into her hand "I knew it. Acting all innocent." She said accusingly. She stride over to Ross and showed him the hoodie "I'm not the first, am I? How many boys and girls have you abducted?"

Ross looked from the controls, letting his eyes fall down to the coat in Rydel's hand. He could literally felt his heart drop from sadness as he realised it was Ratliff's hoodie she was holding, he'd left it behind obviously when he took that backpack full of clothes to Jenna to wash before the whole Torchwood, Dalek, Cybermen, parallel world situation.

His face fell "That's my friends.." He said quietly, his eyes starting to become latched onto it.

Rydel rolled her eyes, becoming sarcastic "Where is he then? Popped out for a space walk?"

"He's gone."

"Gone where?" Rydel asked.

Ross paused for a few moments, looking back down at the console controls "I lost him."

"Well, you can hurry up and lose me!" Rydel snapped furiously.

Rydel watched Ross for a moment, where she suddenly seemed to realise it was a sensitive topic for him. Her face softened as well as her tone "H-how do you mean, 'lost'?"

Ross looked up at Rydel darkly and began to advance on her - and for that moment Rydel became fearful as he advanced on her, but all he done was snatch Ratliff's hoodie away from him, making towards the two doors as he put it elsewhere "Right! Chiswick."

Rydel walked out of the TARDIS, seeing it was the right time, the right planet but with unfamiliar surroundings. Ross had landed in the wrong place, she turned to him "I said 'Saint Mary's'. What sort of Martian are you? Where's this?"

Ross started to stroke the TARDIS with concern "Something's wrong with her..." Rydel rolled her eyes "it's like she's... recalibrating!" Ross instantly dashed into the TARDIS, over to the console "she's digesting."

Rydel then stood outside of the TARDIS, she turned around and her mouth dropped open. She'd finally noticed how small the TARDIS was on the outside in comparison to it's interior.

Ross had one hand on the rooter on the console "What have you eaten? What's wrong?" He called after Rydel "Rydel? You've really gotta think. Is there anything that might have caused this?"

Rydel wasn't listening to a single word Ross was saying, she was to busy pacing around the outside of the TARDIS, feeling the walls in thorough astonishment. Ross continued on talking, thinking Rydel was still inside the TARDIS "Anything you have have done? Any sort of alien contacts? I can't let you go wandering off in case you're dangerous. I mean, have you... have you seen lights in the sky? Or... did you touch something? Something-something different? Something strange? Something made out of a sort of metal or.. who are you getting married too?"

All the while, Rydel had completed her circuit of the TARDIS and popped her head back inside, as if to check she wasn't just imagining how big it was. Having confirmed this, she stumbled backwards, hands over her mouth.

"Are you sure he's human?" Ross asked, still going on "he's not a bit overweight with a zip around his forehead, is he?"

During Ross talking, the strangeness of the TARDIS became to much for Rydel so she turned around and ran. Ross turned his head, seeing Rydel running off, so he ran after her as quick as he could "Rydel!"

He caught up to her, falling into step beside her "Rydel."

"Leave me alone. I just want to get married."

"Come back to the TARDIS."

Rydel shook her head, almost breathing heavily "No way. That box is too.. weird."

"It's.. bigger on the inside, that's all."

"Oh! That's all," Rydel sighed exaggeratedly, and checked her watch. Suppressing tears soon came to her "Ten past three. I'm gonna miss it."

"You can phone them. Tell them where you are."

"How do I do that?" Rydel asked.

"Haven't you got a mobile?" Ross asked.

Rydel stopped walking in her tracks, looking at Ross like he was some sort of idiot. Like he is. "I'm in my wedding dress. It doesn't have pockets. Who has pockets? Have you ever seen a bride with pockets? When I went to my fitting, do you think I said 'Allison, the one thing I forgot to say is give me pockets'?!"

Ross took a long pause, letting awkward/stupid silence fall over them both before speaking again and changing the entire subject "...This man you're marrying-what's his name?"

Like a flash of lightening, Rydel all of a sudden became all-loved up "Lance."

"Gotta like Lance."

Rydel then changed her manner with terrifying abruptness "Oi! No stupid Martian is gonna stop me from getting married. To hell with you!" Once again, Rydel ran off.

"I'm-I'm not... I'm not... I'm not from Mars." Ross said feebly, running after her.

Rydel came out to a different street from the alleyway they were both just in. The street was busy, flooding with different people rushing about, given that it was Christmas Eve and they were doing last minute shopping. But that didn't stop Rydel from running down it and trying to catch a taxi "Taxi!"

Ross came out onto the same street, turning his head where he saw Rydel and he quickly joined her, where the taxi Rydel had called ignored them both. "Why's his light on?" Rydel asked.

Ross pointed, seeing another one coming round the corner "There's another one!" Ross then ran to try catch it.

"Taxi!" Rydel called in the hope one would stop.

Both of them stumbled into the road in their effort to try and catch the drivers attention, but again it just drove straight past. "Oi!"

"There's one!" Ross said yet again as one was coming straight at them. He ran after it, waving for attention but again it ignored them. Ross turned around, back to Rydel "do you have this effect on everyone? Why aren't they stopping?"

"They think I'm in fancy dress."

Another taxi drove by, hooting it's horn "Stay off the scotch darlin'!" The taxi driver called as he went by.

Rydel's mouth dropped open "They think I'm drunk!"

Two guys came by in their car, also yelling out of the window "You're fooling no-one mate!"

Rydel flailed her arms around "They think I'm in drag!"

Ross looked Rydel up and down, appraisingly "Hold on, hold on," Ross put his fingers between his lips and whistled, long and piercing which caused Rydel to wince and cover her ears as he done so. However, it seemed to attract the attention of a taxi, which grinded to a halt before them. Ross and Rydel clambered into the back seat "Saint Mary's church in Chiswick, just off Hayden Road. It's an emergency, I'm getting married! Just.. hurry up!" Rydel said instructively.

"You know it'll cost you sweetheart? Double rates today."

"Oh my god!" Rydel turned to Ross "have you got any money?"

"Um.. no. And you?" Ross asked.

Rydel gestured to her dress violently "Pockets!"

Moments later, the taxi screeched to a halt, so they got out of the taxi. Ross slammed the door shut. Rydel yelled at the taxi driver as he drove off "And that goes double for your mother!" Rydel sighed heavily "I'll have him. I've got his number. I'll have him. Talk about the Christmas spirit."

Ross looked around, being vaguely surprised "Is it Christmas?"

Rydel rolled her eyes once more "Well, duh. Maybe not on Mars, but here it's Christmas Eve." Rydel looked away, hitting Ross as she spotted something in the distance "Phone box!" both of them rushed towards it "we can reverse the charges!"

"How come your getting married on Christmas Eve?"

"Can't bear it. I hate Christmas. Honeymoon in Morocco. Sunshine - lovely." They then reached the phone box, Ross held the door open for Rydel as she stepped into it "What's the operator? I've not done this in years. What do you dial? 100?"

Ross took the sonic out of his pocket and applied it to the phone "Just-just call the direct."

The dial tone buzzed on the end of the receiver as Rydel listened "What did you do?" Rydel asked, demandingly.

Ross looked around, being distracted by things. Certain things "Something-Martian. Now, phone. I'll get money!" he sprinted over to the nearest cash machine which was about a couple of metres away. The man who was currently using it was being aggravatingly slow - Ross hopped from foot to foot impatiently.

Rydel was still in the phone box, also becoming impatient that her Mom wasn't answering the phone "Oh, answer the phone!" Rydel punched the numbers out.

All Rydel got was the answering machine, she groaned in frustration "Mom. Get off the phone and listen. I'm in-" Rydel looked around, "Oh my god-I don't know where I am! It's.. it's a street. And there's WH Smith... but it's definitely Earth."

Ross was still waiting to use the cash machine, growing more agitated by the second. But at last, the man in front of him left. Ross darted forward, casting a furtive look about him before using his sonic to retrieve cash from the machine.

Rydel left the phone box, slamming the phone back to where it belonged. She came out of it out of breath when she approached a women at random on the street "Excuse me.. I'm begging you. I'm getting married, I really am and I'm late and I just need to borrow a tenner and I'll pay you back I promise and it's Christmas."

Ross took the cash from the machine, turning around. His eye was then caught by a row of masked Santa's playing the trumpets a short distance away. He watched then, all of a sudden remembering his last encounter with similar Santa's. Yes, he was with Ratliff when that happened. Why was it that ever since he'd lost Ratliff to the parallel world, things kept on popping up out of nowhere that had something to do with him. But he didn't let it show, suspicion just aroused as he watched the Santa's.

"Taxi!" Rydel called. A taxi pulled up beside her. She conversed with the driver for a few seconds before she shouted back to Ross "Thanks for nothing spaceman! I'll see you in court!" She climbed into the taxi and it drove away.

But the taxi driver was a masked Santa.

Ross shouted after them as he saw "RYDEL!" but it was too late, they'd gone. Ross turned around and looked back at the three Santa's playing the trumpets. One of them lowered it's trumpet ominously, where all three of them held them like weapons - which then Ross realised they were weapons.

Ross quickly soniced the cash machine causing notes to fly everywhere which then resulted as a mad scramble and confusion as people ran around trying to catch it all and stuff it into their pockets. Ross turned back round and ran back in the direction of the TARDIS.

Rydel sat in the back of the taxi sighing with relief as the masked Santa drove the taxi, as for Rydel she just thought because it was Christmas they were dressing up. "I promise you mate- I'll give you the rest when we get there. Oh, I look a mess." Rydel took her veil off her head, trying to catch her breath "hurry up!"

Ross reached the TARDIS doors at a sprint.

Rydel looked at the window, smiling hopefully as they were about to take their turn when the 'taxi driver' didn't take his turn. Rydel looked at the missed turn and back at the 'driver' "Hold on a minute, I said 'Chiswick'. You've missed the turning," she got no response from the 'driver' "Excuse me? We should have turned off back there. We're going the wrong way!"

Ross pummeled the TARDIS into action with his usual equipment - namely his fist and a hammer. The rotor started to rise and fall.

The taxi joined the motorway and cut across the lanes, causing other drivers to beep their horns angrily. "What the hell are you doing?!" Rydel asked, raising her voice "I'm late for the wedding! My own wedding. Do you get that?"

Ross traced the taxi's progress on his monitor so he could get Rydel back and save her from whatever the robot was going to do to her.

"Turn around!" Rydel began to yell "turn this cab around right now! Are you deaf or what?" Rydel lunged forward, pulling the Santa hood off the driver - his mask fell off, revealing a robot underneath. Rydel sat back in her seat, shocked "Oh my god..."

She started pushing the door and window, looking for a way out and trying to attract the attention of other drivers "Help me! Help me! Help me!" Rydel called out, becoming frantic and pummeling the glass on the back window "Help me! Help me!"

A man in a red van that was driving by the taxi noticed her, looking concerned. But he was too powerless to help since they were on a motorway.

"Help me! Help me! Get me out! Help me! Help me! I'm being driven by a robot!"

Sparks flew from the TARDIS console as the whole TARDIS tilted dangerously. Ross hit it with a hammer "Behave!"

All of a sudden Rydel watched as the TARDIS fell out of the sky just about the taxi, spinning through the air. Rydel turned around, facing the front of the taxi with a blank expression "...you are kidding me."

Ross attached string to the console so he could operate the controls from the door. He stumbled over to the doors, string between teeth, and threw it open. Luckily, the TARDIS was in line with the side of the taxi on Rydel's side as it zoomed along with it on the motorway. Rydel stared at Ross, hands pressed against the window.

"Open the door!" Ross shouted.

"Do you what?" Rydel asked, not hearing Ross.

"Open the door!"

"I can't! It's locked!"

Ross soniced the door, which enabled Rydel to push the window down. "Santa's a robot." Rydel said, as if Ross didn't already know.

"Rydel, open the door."

"What for?!"

"You've got to jump!" Ross said as the robot r=driver turned his head slightly at this.

Rydel spoke shrilly "I'm not bloody flip jumping, I'm suppose to be getting married!"

The robot put his foot down on the accelerator so the taxi overtook the TARDIS. Ross pulled on the string, causing random explosions from the console once more and the TARDIS banged the roof of the car of a distressed man before pulling itself back in line with the taxi. Ross struggled to regain his balance, so he soniced the robot which disabled it. "Listen to me- you've got to jump!"

"I'm not jumping on a motorway!" Rydel said obstinately.

"Whatever that thing is, it needs you. And whatever it needs you for, it's not good. Now come on!"

Rydel yelled to match him "I'm in my wedding dress!"

"Yes! You look lovely! Come on!" Ross yelled exasperated.

Breathing heavily with fear, Rydel opened the doors and positioned herself ready to jump. Ross held out his arms to catch her. "I can't do it!" Rydel said fearfully.

"Trust me." Ross said calmly.

"Is that what you said to him?" Rydel asked "Your friend? The one you lost? Did he trust you?" She asked.

Ross nodded "Oh yes he did. He trusted me more than anything else in the world and I trusted him more than anything else in the world. And he is NOT dead. He is so alive! NOW JUMP!"

So Rydel, with a scream, jumped out of the car and landed on top of Ross in a heap on the floor of the TARDIS. The doors slammed closed and the TARDIS zoomed back up into the sky.

Rydel looked down to her watch, she saw it had just gone half past three. She sighed, stepping out of the TARDIS where she saw Ross had landed them on a roof of some high rise building. Rydel started to cough and splutter as Ross tried to extinguish the smoke billowing from the TARDIS doors.

Ross joined Rydel "The funny things is, for a spaceship, she doesn't really do that much flying. We'd better give her a couple of hours. You alright?"

Rydel shrugged "Doesn't matter."

"Did we miss it?"

"Yeah."

"Well, you can book another date..."

Rydel sighed again "Course we can."

"Still got the honeymoon..."

"It's just a holiday now."

Ross nodded, feeling a little bit guilty "Yeah... yeah... sorry."

Rydel shook her head, looking at Ross "It's not your fault."

"Oh! That's a change."

"Wish we had a time machine. Then we could go back and get it right."

Ross paused for a few moments, debating whether or not to tell her "...Yeah, yeah. But... even if I did, I couldn't go back on someone's personal timeline. Apparently."

Rydel gave Ross a suspicious look for a couple of seconds before going over to the edge of the roof, sitting down on it letting her legs dangle down from it. Ross walked over from the TARDIS and sitting down beside her on the edge, he removed his jacket and draped it around Rydel's shoulders. "God, you're skinny. This wouldn't fit a rat." She said.

"Oh, and you'd better put this on." Ross fished out of his pocket, what looked like a wedding ring.

Rydel rolled her eyes "Oh, do you have to rub it in?"

"Those creatures can trace you. This is a bio-damper. Should keep you hidden," He slipped the ring onto her finger "with this ring, I thee bio-damp."

Rydel let out a small laugh "For better or for worse." She said, jumping on the banter. Ross smiled at her. Rydel continued on speaking "so, come on then. Robot Santa's- what are they for?"

"Ah, your basic robo-scavenger. The Father Christmas stuff is just a disguise. They're trying to blend in. I met them last Christmas with R-... my friend."

"Why, what happened then?"

Ross paused for a moment, looking at her in complete disbelief. How the hell did she not notice a big massive spaceship hovering over London. He thinks the whole world noticed. "...Great big spaceship? Hovering over London? You didn't notice?"

"I had a bit of a hangover." She said dismissively.

Ross decided not to pursue this, instead he scanned the whole landscape they were looking over. That's when his eyes landed on the Powell Estate. AKA the Estate where Ratliff lived with Jenna. He looked down, sighing. But he looked up again and nodded in the direction of it "I spent Christmas Day just over there, the Powell Estate. With this... family. My friend, he had this family even though one was his sister and the other was just his friend. But, it's as close as family as he could get. Well, they were..." Ross paused in a moment, as he was starting to get lost in thought "still... gone now."

Rydel looked at the Estate Ross was looking at and then back at Ross "Your friend... who was he?"

Ross decided to avoid that subject "Question is, what do camouflaged robot mercenaries want with you?" He asked "and how did you get inside the TARDIS? I don't know..." Ross contemplated her, Rydel rolled her eyes. Ross pulled the sonic out of his jacket pocket Rydel was wearing "what's your job?"

"I'm a secretary."

Ross scanned her with the screwdriver "It's weird, I mean- you're not special, you're not powerful, you're not connected, you're not clever, you're not important..."

"This friend of yours," Rydel said cutting Ross off "just before he left, did he punch you in the face?"

"No, but I think he was quite tempted too."

Ross continued on bleeping Rydel with the screwdriver, so she whacked the sonic aside "Stop bleeping me!"

"What kind of secretary?" Ross asked.

"I'm at HC Clements. It's where I met Lance. I was temping."

_Rydel sat down in a crowded, open-plan office space. She was gazing at her surroundings as though she was slightly overwhelmed._

"I mean, it was all a bit posh really. I'd spent the last two years at a double glazing firm. Well, I thought - I'm never gonna fit in here."

_From across the office, Lance caught Rydel's eye and gestured to the coffee pot. Offering her some._

"And then he made me a coffee."

_Rydel looked around and looked back at Lance, realising he was gesturing to her. She gestured to herself and mimed "me?!" with disbelief._

"I mean, that just doesn't happen. Nobody gets the secretaries a coffee," Rydel looked back at Ross "And Lance - he's head of HR! He don't need to bother with me! But he was nice, he was funny."

_Rydel and Lance were stood at the bottom of a flight of stairs, laughing and joking within the office block. "She's not that bad!" Lance said, still laughing._

_"She is!"_

_Both of them continued to laugh hysterically._

"And it turns out he thought everyone else was really snotty too. So that's how it started, me and him - one cup of coffee. That was it."

Ross looked at Rydel with a small look of confusion "When was this?"

"Six months ago."

"Bit quick to get married..."

"Well.. he insisted."

_Rydel and Lance were stood in a crowded bar, Lance was going on talking about something while Rydel was gazing at him when - "Will you marry me?" Rydel asked._

_Making Lance's eyes widened in terror._

"And he nagged... and he nagged me..."

_Rydel chased Lance down several flights of stairs in the office block "Go on, just think about it! We'd make a great couple! And I'd get rid of the dog... and we could do up that back bedroom!" Rydel said, imploring._

"And he just wore me down and then finally, I just gave in."

_Rydel and Lance walked down a street, Rydel clinging to his hand "Please? Oh, please? Please? Please, please, please, please, please."_

Ross nodded, listening along to the story. Even though he didn't quite believe it, but he decided to take all the focus away from that and focused on the actual matter now that he'd got the whole 'Rydel-and-Lance-back-story' "What does HC Clements do?" Ross asked.

"Oh, security systems, you know.. entry codes, ID cards - that sort of things," Rydel said, she let out a small laugh "if you ask me, it's a posh name for 'locksmith'."

"Keys.." Ross said, musing.

"Anyway," Rydel clapped her hands together, looking back at Ross rather than over the landscape, and taking Ross's attention away from the Powell Estate, because if she was honest it looked like he was about to burst from guilt "enough of my CV. Come on, it's time to face the consequences. Oh, this is going to be so shaming. You can do the explaining, Martian-boy."

"Yeah," Ross said looking away from the Estate one final time and at Rydel "I'm not from Mars."

Rydel nodded while Ross stood up and lent her a hand to help her up "Oh, I had this great big reception all planned. Everyone's gonna be heartbroken."

However, when they both stepped through the doors of the reception it looked as though everyone had decided to go on with the reception without Rydel. 'Merry Christmas Everyone' blared out full volume whilst everyone was either dancing, drinking, eating or laughing. Rydel looked around at the merriment, thunderstruck. She folded her arms.

That's when her Mom, Sylvia, spotted her first and froze - the rest of the room soon followed suit until it was all silent and all the eyes were on Rydel and Ross. "You had the reception without me?" Rydel asked.

"Rydel.. what happened to you?" Lance asked.

Rydel raised her voice a notch "You HAD the reception without me?"

An awkward pause soon took over the whole silence, Ross sighed becoming cheerful "Hello! I'm Ross." He said cheerfully, giving a little wave.

Rydel turned to him "They had. The reception. Without. Me."

Ross nodded "Yeah, kinda gathered that."

That's when Nerys started speaking up "Well, it was all paid for - why not?"

"Thank you, Nerys." Rydel said through gritted teeth.

Sylvia then approached Rydel "Well, what were we suppose to do?" she asked "I got your silly little message in the end - 'I'm on Earth'? Very funny. What the hell happened? How did you do it? I mean, what's the trick because I'd love to know-"

Then the whole room started talking all at the same time until all Rydel could hear is an incomprehensible babble of voices - so she burst into tears, at which their anger melted into pity. Lance then walked up to Rydel and hugged her, she cried into his shoulder.

Everyone applauded, Rydel made sure Lance was turned around so she could see Ross over his shoulder where she winked at Ross through her fake tears. Ross couldn't help but smirk. Damn this girl was good.

The reception party continued a little while later, and now Rydel had joined in with the dancing with Lance. Ross was just leant against the bar that was there, looking over to Rydel and smiling slightly as he watched them both dance together. He noticed a man to his side with a mobile phone "Excuse me," Ross said "do you mind if I borrow your phone for a second? I just need to call someone." the man nodded and handed it over.

Ross then turned around, and done a WAP search for HC Clements. He cast a furtive look around the room before using the sonic to speed the process up. The result came up:

_"Sole Prop. **TORCHWOOD**"_

Of course it would be Torchwood. Wouldn't it? He sighed. He was feeling bad enough, he didn't need reminding of what happened every single 30 seconds.

Ross then just closed the phone, handing it back to the man. That's when memories seemed to flood back to him as he looked out onto the dance floor, watching couples and pairs dancing.

_Ratliff groaned. Ross then stood up from the floor, taking Ratliff's hands and pulling him up to the floor accidentally pulling him too close to him. "Whoa dude," Ratliff laughed "not that close.. we're not dancing together." not that he was complaining that he was that close to Ross._

_Ross shrugged "We could for a laugh if you like. For a laugh. I think it'd be funny. Me and Riker did it, except.. I dropped him when I dipped him.."_

_Ratliff scoffed "Then you ain't dancing with me for a laugh of your gonna drop me, it was bad enough the rugby tackle."_

_Ratliff went to go walk away, not realising Ross still had hold of his hands. So when he tried to walk away Ross immediately pulled him back with force, bringing him into a dip. Surprisingly, not dropping him. Ross smiled down at him as he still had him in that dip "Now do you trust me?" Ross asked._

_"Well this is weird," Ratliff said as he was being supported by Ross's arm and knee "is it bad I like this?" He asked._

_Ross shook his head "Not really."_

Ross's eyes then fell onto a couple who were dancing together, the man had spun her around a couple of times, threw her out and dipped her. Not dropping her.

_Ross had just spun him out and back into his arms._

_Ross spun Ratliff under his arm, smiling and laughing the same as Ratliff was doing, before he decided to dip him again. He did it quickly, "See, didn't drop you." Ross said. He then brought him back up._

Ross shook his head, swallowing hard and looked away before anything else came back to him, cause right now he was just about done.

* * *

**I guess this long-ass'd chapter was just introducing Rydel? But, not really. There's still more to come in the next 1 or 2 chapters :) **

**How are you guys liking Rydel so far? Do you like her? What was your favourite moment of hers?**

**6 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**


	18. The Runaway Bride: The Empress

**Glad your all liking Rydel :) **

* * *

**_The Runaway Bride: The Empress_**

Ross was still stood at the bar trying to ignore any sort of thought that was coming from his mind, other than them robot Santa's. As he was facing the bar, he listened to all the people behind him having a good time when he decided to turn back around. That's when he noticed a cameraman in the corner, who was recording the proceedings.

Moments later, Ross found himself at the camera mans side as he put a tape into the camera to show Ross. "I taped the whole thing - they've all had a look. They said 'sell it to You've Been Framed'. I said 'more like the news'. Here we are.."

The cameraman played the tap. He made the camera zoom in on Rydel's face as she seemingly disintegrated into golden particles with a scream. "Can't be! Play it again?" Ross asked.

"Clever mind! Good trick, I'll give her that. I was clapping."

Ross watched the video again, brow furrowed incredulously "But that looks like... Huon particles."

"What's that?"

"That's impossible, that's... ancient! Huon energy doesn't exist anymore, not for billions of years! So old that..." Ross's eyes suddenly were drawn to the ring/bio-damper he earlier placed on Rydel's finger "... it can't be hidden by a bio-damper!"

Ross ran as fast as he could over to the nearest window, and sure enough there were Santa's, making their way slowly towards the building. Ross panicked and rushed over to where Rydel was "Rydel!" He jumped in front of her "Rydel, they've found you."

"But you said I was safe!"

"The bio-damper doesn't work. We've got to get everyone out!"

Rydel started looking around at everyone who was there, confused, panicked and worried "Oh my god - it's all my family..."

"Out the back door!"

Both Ross and Rydel made their way to the back door and ran out of it, only to be confronted with two Santa's. "Maybe not.." Ross said.

The Santa's held some kind of remote control, which they raised. Ross looked over at the Christmas Tree that was smack bang in the middle of the room, not taking his eyes from it "Christmas trees..."

"What about them?" Rydel asked.

"They kill."

Ross and Rydel immediately ran back into the building and in the middle of the crowd that was near the Christmas tree "Get away from the tree!" Ross called "get away from the Christmas trees, everyone get away from them!"

The Santa's stood at the ready with their remote controls. Rydel ushered a group of girls who were stood at the Christmas tree away from it, far as possible "Out! Lance, tell them!"

"Stay away from the tree!" Ross called.

The Santa's then pressed a big red button that was in the middle of their control. "Stay AWAY from the tree!"

That's when Sylvia, Rydel's mother, stepped out from the crowd giving Ross a funny look "Oh, for God's sakes, the man's an idiot! Why? What's Christmas tree gonna...oh!" She trailed off as she observed the baubles floated away from the tree in some kind of weird dance.

Ross watched them all mistrustfully as they hovered over everyone's heads. Everyone who was in the room chattered excitedly until the baubles all started dive-bombing around the room, causing small explosions. Everyone started screaming and ducking for cover. Rydel grabbed Lance and pulled him down to hide under a table with her.

Ross ran over to the DJ stand, where then all the Santa's lined up opposite. "Oi! Santa! Word of advice: if you're attacking a man with a sonic screwdriver," Ross spoke into the microphone "...don't let him near a sound system." he held the screwdriver next to the amplifiers, where it made a horrible, high pitched screeching sound.

Everyone covered their eyes in pain from the sound whilst the Santa's started to vibrate violently until they all fell into pieces. Ross removed the sonic from the amplifiers and ran to examine the mechanics of the Santa's. Everyone started getting up off the floor. Ross picked up the consoles which the Santa's were using.

"But what is it?" Sylvia asked, pointing at the Santa's "what were they?"

"Just stop wittering and help!" Rydel said.

"Look at that," Ross said, talking to Rydel "remote control for the decorations," he showed her the hand held consoles "but there's a second control for the robot's," he looked at the head of one of them "they're not scavengers any more. I think someone's taken possession."

Rydel shook her head "Never mind all that, you're smart. People have been hurt, can you help them?"

"Nah, they wanted you alive, look," he threw Rydel a bauble "they're not active now."

"All I'm saying-you could help."

He held up one of the Santa heads to his ear "Gotta think of the bigger picture... there's still a signal!" And with that, he took off.

Rydel made to go follow him when her Mom started talking "Rydel.. who is he?" Sylvia asked scared "who is he?"

Rydel didn't have an answer for her, she turned around and followed Ross leaving Sylvia and Lance staring after her. Rydel followed Ross where she found him outside where he stood scanning the helmet with the screwdriver "There's someone behind this, directing the robo-force."

"But why is it me? What have I done?" She asked.

"If we find the controller, we'll find that out-oh!" He raised the screwdriver up into the air where it started going off "it's up there. Something in the sky," that's when it stopped bleeping and Lance stepped outside beside them both "damn it I lost the signal - Rydel, we've got to get to your office, HC Clements. I think that's where it all started," he turned to Lance "Lance-is it Lance? Can you give me a lift?" Without waiting for an answer, he darted off.

Ross, Rydel and Lance all arrived at HC Clements, bursting through the door and running through the building like there was no tomorrow to get to Rydel's office. Nobody was in the building today, so that made them extra lucky. Once they were in Rydel's office, he ran up to a computer almost immediately "This might just be a locksmith, but HC Clements was brought up twenty three years ago by the Torchwood Institute." Ross told her.

Rydel gave Ross a puzzled look "Who were they?"

Ross continued on typing away on the laptop "They were responsible for the battle of Canary Wharf," he looked at Rydel who was just giving Ross a blank silence "...Cybermen invasion.." Ross waited for a response, but all Rydel did was give him an inquiring look "Skies over London full of Dalek's?" Ross asked.

"Oh," Rydel smiled "I was in Spain."

"They had Cybermen in Spain.. it was global."

"Scuba diving?"

Ross shook his head slightly, trying to believe what was coming out of Rydel's mouth. How the hell did she miss all that? "That big picture, Rydel- you keep on missing it," he then darted towards another computer "Torchwood was destroyed, but HC Clements stayed in business. I think...someone else came in and took over-" He whacked the computer screen "-the operation."

Rydel followed Ross "But what do they want with me?"

Ross then gave Rydel his full attention, making sure she didn't miss any of this. Seen as though she missed the most important of things that happened to the whole world and London "Somehow you've been dosed with Huon energy. And that's a problem because Huon energy hasn't existed since the Dark times. The only place you'd find Huon particle now is a remnant in the heart of the TARDIS. See? That's what happened. Say... that's the TARDIS," Ross showed Rydel a mug, pretending it was the actual TARDIS "and that's you," he said picking up a pencil "the particles inside you activated. The two sets of particles magnetised and WHAP!" he threw the pencil into the mug "you were pulled inside the TARDIS."

Rydel spoke weakly "I'm a pencil inside a mug."

Ross nodded "Yes, you are," He said putting the mug down "4H. Sums you up," he turned to Lance "Lance? What was HC Clements working on? Anything top secret? Special operations? Do not enter?"

Lance all of a sudden became defensive "I don't know, I'm in charge of personnel. I wasn't project manager."

Ross turned around held up the sonic screwdriver to the screen and it instantly displayed the page he'd been looking for. Lance rolled his eyes, sighing heavily "Why am I even explaining myself?!" He asked "what the hell are we talking about?!"

"They make keys, that's the point. And look at this.." Ross said as he brought up a 3D plan of the building on the screen "...we're on the third floor." Showing him that there were two other floors underneath the building.

Minutes later, the three of them found themselves waiting for a lift to come down to their floor so they could go down to the two other floors "Underneath reception, there's a basement, yeah?" Ross asked. At last, the lift arrived and the doors pinged open, Ross went inside looking at the controls "then how come when you look on the lift, there's a button marked 'lower basement'?" Ross asked "there's a whole floor which doesn't exist on the official plans. So what's down there, then?"

"Are you telling me this buildings got a secret floor?" Lance asked.

"No, I'm showing you this building's got a secret floor."

"It needs a key." Rydel said.

Ross shrugged "I don't," he soniced the lock "right then, thanks you two, I can handle this- see you later."

Rydel shook her head, heading into the the lift herself "No chance, Martian. You're the man who keeps saving my life, I ain't letting you out of my sight." She stood next to him in the lift. She looked at Lance "Lance?" She pointedly said.

"M-maybe I should go tot he police.." Lance said, becoming unsure of this situation.

"Inside."

Lance then meekly joined them both in the lift. Ross looked at Lance from Rydel "To honour and obey?" He asked.

"Tell me about it mate." Lance sighed.

"Oi!" Rydel yelled to them both as the lift began to descend.

The lift pinged when it reached the bottom floor of the lower basement and Ross, Rydel, Lance found themselves stepping out into a long, dark, dank corridor that was dimly lit with an eerie green light. Rydel twisted and turned her head "Where are we?" She asked "Well, what goes on down here?"

Ross looked down one specific end of the corridor "Lets find out.."

"Do you think Mr Clements knows about this place?" Rydel asked, as they walked very slowly down the corridor.

"The mysterious HC Clements?" Ross asked "I think he's part of it." Ross's eye was then caught by something which was just a little ahead of them all "oh, look-transport."

Moments later three of them trundled down the corridor each standing on their own electric scooters, all looking extremely comical. Rydel looked at Ross and Lance before she burst out laughing, soon Ross joined in bursting into a fit of laughter along with Rydel. Lance just stood on his scooter, looking confused as ever. What was so funny about it?

Soon, they all came to a door that said "Torchwood- authorised personnel only", no naturally they all abandoned their scooters while Ross turned the wheel that opened the doors to reveal a ladder. Ross peered upwards "Wait here. Just need to get my bearings don't," he turned around, pointing at both Lance and Rydel "Now, I said this to my friend and his other friend Ryan a lot okay, so you better not do what they did every time I told them not too," he pointed at both Rydel and Lance "DON'T do anything... Do NOT go anywhere. Do NOT touch anything, just stay put." He then started going up the ladder.

"You'd better come back!" Rydel called up.

"I couldn't get rid of you if I tried." Ross called back down letting out a sigh as he said that, going up the ladders.

Rydel smiled as her and Lance watched Ross climb the ladder. Lance started speaking "Rydel... have you thought about this? Properly? I mean, this is serious! What the hell are we gonna do?"

Rydel wasn't really listening to Lance talking "Oh, I thought July." She smiled brightly, turning her attention back at Ross climbing the ladder.

Ross reached the top of ladder seconds later when he was confronted with the underside of a manhole. He opened it and climbed out into daylight. Where he found himself over looking the Thames River Flood barrier.

Ironic. Last time he was at the Thames River was when he was in the parallel world with Ratliff.. and Ryan. In fact he was looking over at that part of the river right now. He sighed, going back down the ladders and shutting the manhole.

Another couple seconds later, he jumped off the last rung of the ladder "Thames floor barrier! Right on top of us. Torchwood snuck in and built this place underneath."

"What," Rydel said "there's like a secret base hidden underneath a major London landmark?" She asked.

"I know! Unheard of!" the three of them then entered some kind of laboratory, full of massive test tubes bubbling away and chemistry equipment "Oh, look at this! Stunning! Particle extrusion!"

"What does it do?" Rydel asked as she was looking at it all.

"Particle extrusion. Hold on..." He darted over to one of the bubbling tubes and tapped it "brilliant. They've been manufacturing Huon particles. In case my people got rid of Huon's, they unraveled the atomic structure."

"Your people?" Lance asked "who are they? What company do you represent?"

Ross looked over to Lance "Oh, I'm a freeloader. But this lot are rebuilding them. They've been using the river! Extruding them through a flat hydrogen base sot they've got the end result- Huon particles in liquid form." He picked up a test tube that was full of Huon particles.

Rydel looked at it with wide eyes "And that's what's inside of me?" Ross then turned a knob at the top of the test tube, making the contents glow gold, and Rydel with it. Rydel looked down at herself as she started glowing gold again "Oh my god!"

"Because the particles are inert- they need something living to catalyse inside and that's you," Ross started to explain "saturate the body and then..." that's when he realised something "HA!" Rydel jumped out of her skin as Ross started to become all mad with enthusiasm again "the weeding! Yes, you're getting married, that's it! Best day of your like, walking down the aisle - oh your body's a battleground! There's a chemical war inside! Adrenaline, acetylcholine, WHAM go the endorphins, oh you're cooking! Yeah, you're like a walking oven! A pressure cooker, a microwave, all churning away, the particles reach boiling point,SHAZAM!" Rydel then slapped Ross across the face. Ross spoke indignantly "What did I do this time?"

"Are you enjoying this?!" Rydel asked.

Ross started to relax, becoming ashamed of himself. Rydel walked towards him, breathing heavily in her distress "Right, just tell me - these particles, are they dangerous? Am I safe?"

"Yes!" Ross said, unconvincingly.

"Ross.. if your lot got rid of Huon particles.. why did they do that?"

"Because they were deadly." He said gently.

"Oh my god..."

"I'll sort it out, Rydel," He said, trying to calm her down before she decided to slap him again "Whatever's been done to you."

Rydel nodded, coming calm again "Thank you."

"I'm not about to lose someone else."

Rydel went to go say something, knowing it was about his friend he'd lost recently. She kept on trying to ask him about the friend, but she never got to ask. She even went to go ask now but they all became distracted by crashes and bangs that seemed to be coming from all around them.

That's when a voice started to speak "Oh, she is long since lost.." The voice said, even though there was nobody there. One of the walls slide upwards to reveal a secret chamber with an enormous round hole in the floor "I waited so long, hibernating at the edge of the universe..." Lance's eyes widened in horror as he heard the voice, so he hurriedly retreated through the door "...until the secret heart was uncovered and called out to waken!"

The walls of the chamber were then lined up with armed robots and wearing black hoods. As this was going on, Lance ran as fast as he could down the corridor and back to the door which concealed the ladder, he opened the door to it.

Ross peered down the hole, looking down into nothing but long darkness "Someone's been digging... oh, very Torchwood. Drilled by laser. How far down does it go?"

"Down and down, all the way to the centre of the Earth!"

"Really?" Ross asked "seriously? What for?"

Rydel shuffled forwards to Ross "Dinosaurs."

"What?"

"Dinosaurs?"

Ross looked at Rydel confused, shaking his head in the process "What are you on about, dinosaurs?"

"That film, Under the Earth, with dinosaurs. Trying to help!"

"That's not helping, Rydel!"

"Such a sweet couple." the voice spoke again.

Ross turned his head, sending a glare to where the voice was coming from "Only a madman talks to thin air and trust me, you don't want to make me mad. Where are you?"

"High in the sky, floating so high on Christmas Night."

Ross looked up to the intercom that, whoever it is, was talking through so she could see him "C'mon. I didn't come all this way to talk on the intercom! Come on, let's have a look at you!"

"Who are you with such command?" The female raspy asked.

"I'm Ross," He took a pause, whoever this women was, was starting to take forever and put off coming down for Rydel and himself to see "Oh c'mon! Come down!"

Before he could say anything else, a gigantic red spider that was at least 10 times the size of them appeared out of nowhere, snarling and growling at them. "The Racnoss... but that's impossible, you're one of the Racnoss!"

"Empress of the Racnoss." She said.

Elsewhere in the base, Lance clambered up a ladder and through another corridor away from the other two.

"If you're the Empress..." Ross continued "where's the rest of the Racnoss? Or... are you the only one?"

"Such a sharp mind."

"That's it, the last of your kind," He turned to Rydel "the Racnoss come from the Dark Times, billions of years ago, billions. They were carnivores, omnivores, they devoured the whole planets."

"Racnoss are born starving, is that our fault?"

Rydel looked at Ross, with confusion and shock "They eat people?"

"HC Clements," Ross said "did he wear those- those erm, black and white shoes?"

"He did!" Rydel said "we used to laugh, we used to call him the fat cat in spats." Ross nodded what what Rydel where he then pointed to a web that was high up on the ceiling. There you could see a pair of black and white shoes attached to the unfortunate HC Clements that could just be seen poking out. Rydel looked and her mouth dropped open "Oh my god."

"Mm, my Christmas dinner." The Empress then cackled.

"You shouldn't even exist!" Ross looked back at the Empress "way back in history, the Fledging Empires went to war against the Racnoss- they were wiped out."

Just then, to Rydel's relief, Lance appeared on a balcony above the Racnoss's, unbeknownst to her as she continued to stand there going on and on to Ross and Rydel. Lance motioned to Rydel to keep quiet, so she did. "Except for me." The Racnoss said, adding to the end of Ross's sentence.

Rydel started to speak this time, in the bid to distract her "But that's what I've got inside me, that Huon energy thing," Rydel saw the Racnoss's head beginning to wonder "Oi! Look at me, lady, I'm talking," The Racnoss then looked at Rydel, keeping her eyes fixed onto the blonde bride "where do I fit in?" Rydel asked "how come I get all stacked up with these Huon particles?" Lance began to descend down the stairs, with an axe at the ready to kill the Racnoss "Look at me, you!" Rydel yelled, as once again the Empress's head was wondering "look me in the eyes and tell me."

"The bride is so feisty." The Empress said, looking down upon Rydel.

"Yes, I am!" Rydel said, proudly "And I don't know what you are, you big... thing. But a spider's just a spider and an axe is an axe!" She looked at Lance "now, do it!"

Lance swung the axe going to hit her with it, but the Empress swung around and hissed at the last moment before Lance could hit her. He then stopped, glancing at Rydel with horror, but then he started to laugh as if he'd been told some funny joke. Next thing, the Empress started laughing along with him. "That was a good one," Lance spoke to the Empress still laughing "your face!"

"Lance is funny." The Empress said still laughing.

"What?" Rydel asked, confused. She had no clue what was going on. Was this whole thing actually real? Or was this whole thing her going into the TARDIS a set up after all.

Ross sighed, standing behind Rydel "I'm sorry." HE said, quietly.

"Sorry for what?" Rydel asked, looking at Ross. She then looked over at Lance "Lance, don't be so stupid! Get her!"

Lance started at Rydel pityingly "God, she's thick," Rydel stared right back at Lance confused. Lance rolled his eyes "months I had to put up with her. Months. A girl who can't even point to Germany on a map."

"I don't understand." Rydel said, uncomprehending.

"How did you meet him?" Ross asked Rydel.

"In the office."

"He made you coffee."

"What?"

Lance spoke to Rydel, as if addressing an idiot, when in actual fact he was "Everyday, I made you coffee."

Ross looked back at Rydel "You had to be dosed with liquid particles over six months."

"He was poisoning me?" Rydel asked.

"It was all there in the job title - the Head of Human Resources."

"This time," Lance interrupted "it's personnel." he and the Racnoss started to laugh again.

"But... we were getting married."

"Well, I couldn't risk you running off. I had to say yes. And then I was stuck with a woman who thinks the height of excitement is a new flavour Pringle," Rydel listened to the torrent of abuse go on and on and on with an expression of increasing hurt and confusion as Lance went on "oh, I had to sit there and listen to all that yap yap yap - 'oh Brad and Angelina - Is Posh pregnant?' X Factor, Atkins Diet, Feng Shui, split ends, text me, text me, text me, dear God, the never ending fountain of fat, stupid trivia. I deserve a medal."

"Oh, is that what she offered you?" Ross asked "the Empress of the Racnoss? What are you? Her consort?"

"It's better than a night with her."

"But I love you." Rydel said, plaintively.

Lance smirked, speaking nastily "That's what made it easy. It like you said, Ross - the big picture - what's the point of it all if the Human Resources is nothing? That's what the Empress can give me. The chance to... go out there. To see it. The size of it all. I think you understand that, don't you, Ross?"

"Who is this little... boy?" The Empress asked.

"What she said - Martian."

Instead of rolling his eyes like any other person would do, he just decided to be typical Ross "Oh, I'm sort of... homeless..." He said "but the point is, what's down here?" He asked, referring to the giant hole in the floor "the Racnoss are extinct. What's gonna help you four thousand miles down? That's just the molten core of the Earth, isn't it?"

"We're not gonna talk, Ross," Lance snapped "all we need is Rydel!"

"Kill this chattering little Ross-man." The Empress ordered.

Rydel immediately stood in front of Ross "Don't you hurt him!"

"No, no," Ross shook his head "it's alright."

Rydel turned to Ross, frightened "No, I won't let them!"

"At arms." The Empress called to the black hooded robots. The robot's pointed their guns at Ross.

"Ah, now. Except-" Ross went on, but the Racnoss kept on going.

"Take aim!"

"Well, I just want to point out the obvious-"

"They won't hit the bride," The Empress said "they're such very good shots."

"Just-Just-Just-hold on, just a tick, just a tiny- just a little- tick," Ross started to ramble on "if you think about it, the particles activated in Rydel and drew her inside my spaceship. So, reverse it... the spaceship comes to her." He smiled cockily. Ross then once again tweaked the tube of Huon particles which caused both the particles in the tube and inside Rydel to glow.

"Fire!"

The robots fired their guns, but it was too late for them to hit Ross or Rydel. The TARDIS materialised around them both, making Ross and Rydel both safe inside. Ross turned around and darted to the console "Off we go!"

"My key! My key!" The Racnoss shouted, incensed.

The TARDIS dematerialised, being impervious to the bullets hitting it.

"Oh, you know what I said before about time machines?" Ross asked Rydel, from earlier when Rydel had wished they had a time machine "well, I lied. And now we're gonna use it," He said as the TARDIS spun through the vortex "we need to find out what the Empress of the Racnoss is digging up. If something's buried at the planet core, it must've been there since the beginning. That's just brilliant. Molto bene! I've always wanted to see this. Rydel- We're going further back than I've ever been before."

Only then did he notice Rydel's shoulders were shuddering as silent tears poured down her cheeks as she looked at him, though she didn't realise she was looking at him. He frowned. He was tired of seeing tears lately. But he understood this was about Rydel.

"If a key is lost," The Empress started "then another must be cut," The Empress started to shout "At arms!"

Her robot's then turned their guns to Lance.

The TARDIS, having arrived at it's destination, clicked quietly as it cooled down. Ross peered around the console at a miserable Rydel who was sat on one of the chairs. "We've arrived..." Ross said, distracting her from her sad little thoughts "want to see?"

Rydel sighed "Suppose so.." Rydel said unenthusiastically.

Ross swung the monitor round "Oh, that scanner's a bit small. Maybe you way's best," Ross went over to the door and waited for Rydel "come on." Rydel stood resignedly and joined him at the door as he continued to explain "no human's ever seen this. You'll be the first."

"All I want to see is my bed."

Ross let out a small laugh, she may be sad but she definitely didn't lose her regular classy, funny self "Rydel Lynch - welcome to the creation of the Earth." He then opened the doors to a spectacular sight. The sun shined through beautiful coloured dust and gas clouds with enormous rocks floating around. "We've gone back 4.6 billion years. There's no solar system, not yet. Only dust and rocks and gas," he pointed "that's the sun over there, bran new. Just beginning to burn."

"Where's the Earth?" Rydel asked, seen as though all she could see was a verity of sized rocks floating around.

"All around us... in dust."

"Puts the wedding in perspective," She let out a scoff "Lance was right. We're just... tiny."

"No, but that's what you do. The human race. Making sense out of chaos. Marking it out with weddings and Christmas's and calendars. This whole process is beautiful, but only if it's being observed."

"So, I came out of all this?"

"Isn't that brilliant?"

As he said that, a massive chunk of rock floated by the TARDIS lazily "I think that's the Isle of Man." both of them laughed.

"Eventually, gravity takes hold. Say, one big rock, heavier than the others, starts to pull other rocks towards it. All the dust and gas and elements get pulled in, everything, piling in until you get the..."

"Earth." Rydel finished off.

"But the question is.. hat was the first rock?"

A star shaped rock then started to emerge through the clouds, Rydel noticed "Look.." She said.

Ross looked over to it "The Racnoss.." He whispered.

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**Yeah, I figured this part of the story was going to be 3 parts.. **

**So I figured seen as though this story takes the longest for me to write, I'd update it on Friday's, Saturday's, Sunday's and when I'm off school cause then I have all the time I want to do it. Unless it's a short chapter then it'll be up on a week-day :) **

**6 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**


	19. The Runaway Bride: The Star

_**Seriously.. 8 people following the story... not hard to type a review of your opinion.. I'm not fishing for reviews, just readers appreciate opinions you know and reviews.**_

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_**The Runaway Bride: The Star**_

"Now I have measured the bride's catalysis, I can force feed it." The Empress said as one of the robot's force fed water poisoned with Huon particles to Lance. "Drink the particles-Become the key!"

Ross rushed back to the console of the TARDIS and turned a wheel frantically "Hold on - The Racnoss are hiding from the war! What's it doing?"

The rocks, the particles of dust and gas, all zoomed towards the Racnoss as though drawn by a magnetic force. "Exactly what you said.." Rydel said amazed as she watched.

Ross ran back to the door to look with Rydel "Oh, they didn't just burry something at the centre of the Earth... they became the centre of the Earth. The first rock."

The TARDIS then suddenly started to shudder violently, making Ross and Rydel be almost knocked off their feet "What the hell was that?!" Rydel asked.

"Trouble." Ross then slammed both the TARDIS doors shut.

Both of them struggled to keep their balance as the TARDIS shuddered and tipped. Rydel yelled over the noise "What the hells it doing?!" She asked.

"Remember that little trick I pulled - particles pulling particles. It works in reverse - they're pulling us back!" He yelled over to Rydel over the noise also. He desperately tried to pilot the TARDIS but it was beyond his control as it whirled around the vortex.

"Well, can't you stop it?" Rydel asked "hasn't it got a hand break? Can't you reverse or warp or beam or something?"

"Backseat driver. Oh! Wait a minute!" He pulled out the extrapolator from underneath the console "the extrapolator! Can't stop us, but it should give us a good bump!"

The TARDIS then materialised back into the chamber with Lance and the Empress. "The bride shall join her groom. What a wedding there shall be." The Empress said as she watched the TARDIS materialise.

Ross kept on whacking the extrapolator as they materialised into the chamber "NOW!" He shouted. Once he hit it, the TARDIS materialised out of the chamber and reappeared down the corridor from outside the chamber where they were before to get into the chamber room.

Ross and Rydel emerged from the TARDIS "We're about 200 yards to the right," He said "come on!" He said, making them both begin to run.

"She is close!" The Empress said, sensing where Rydel was "The holy bride in white. Finer her! Find her!"

Ross and Rydel arrived at the doorway leading up the Thames Flood Barrier Ross was climbing up before. Rydel was out of breath when they reached the door, she was scared "But what do we do?" She asked.

Ross listened from behind the door with a stethoscope "I don't know! I make it up as I go along! But trust me, I've got a history."

"But I still don't understand," Rydel said finally regaining her breath "I'm full of particles - but what for?"

"There's a Racnoss web at the centre of the Earth, but my people unraveled their power source," Ross began explaining "the Huon particles ceased to exist but the Racnoss are stuck."

Before Rydel could intervene or say anything that would make Ross explain more, she failed to notice the hooded robot behind her which grabbed Rydel from behind, covering her mouth so she couldn't scream for help to Ross and dragged her away.

Ross just continued explaining, not noticing Rydel had been taken "They've just been in hibernation for billions of years. Frozen. Dead. Kaput! So you're the new key. Brand new particles, living particles! They need you to open it- and you have never been so quiet." He immediately turned around when he realised how quiet it was as he said that, seeing she was gone.

Ross groaned as he looked up and down the empty corridor. He opened up the door with the sonic, only to be confronted with an armed robot.

After Rydel had been taken by the robot, she had now joined Lance tied up in the web on the ceiling above the four thousand mile hole where HC Clements was before. "I hate you." Rydel said to Lance, as she was now looking directly down a never ending hole.

"Yeah, I think we've gone a bit beyond that now, sweetheart." Lance said, just as angry as Rydel was.

"My golden couple," The Racnoss said as she watched them both dangle from the ceiling "together at last - your awful wedded life. Tell me; do you want to be released?"

"YES!" Rydel and Lance both shouted.

"You're suppose to say 'I do'."

Lance laughed "Ha, no chance."

"Say it!"

Lance looked over at Rydel "I do."

"I do." Rydel said, even though it was the last thing she wanted to say. Especially after what he'd done.

"I don't," The Empress crackled "activate the particles. Purge every last one!" Rydel and Lance both started to glow gold "And release!" The particles extracted themselves from Rydel and Lance before zooming down the hole in the ground. "The secret heart unlocks. And they will waken from their sleep of Ages."

Rydel looked down the hole, not that she had much of a choice in the matter "Who will? What's down there?"

"How thick are you?" Lance asked.

"My children," The Empress continued on "the long lost Racnoss. Now will be born to feat on flesh!" The chirping of the spiders and patters of their feet could be heard coming up the hole.

The star the Racnoss was travelling in, which was more of a web, then drifted down towards the Earth.

"My babies will be hungry. They need sustenance. Perish the web."

"Use her! Not me! Use her!" Lance begged.

"Oh, my funny little Lance! But you are quite impolite to your lady-friend. The Empress does not approve."

With that, the web around Lance loosened and he tumbled down the hole all the way down to his death, screaming as he done so. "Laaaaaance!" Rydel shouted in horror as she watched Lance disappear down the hole.

The star descended over the Thames, which confused Londoners pointed up at it in wonder and awe. There was a little girl stood there with her parents just loving the whole thing, not knowing what it was about to do and cause.

"Harvest the humans! Reduce them to meat!"

What looked like bolts of lightening shot out of the points of the stars, killing all and everything they touched. The crowds below the star ran for cover, screaming. The little girl who was once living it before, was now screaming, screwing her eyes shut as a bolt cut through the floor towards her until her Dad picked her up out of the way just in time before it hit her.

One of the Racnoss's robots ascended up the stairs, running up the side of the chamber. "My children are climbing towards me and none shall stop them!" She then hissed, turning to the robot that was going up the stairs "so you might as well unmask, my clever little Ross-man."

Ross sighed, removing the mask and the cloak, turning around to face the Empress "Oh well. Nice try," he threw them on the ground "I've got you, Rydel!" He aimed his sonic up at her and the web loosened around her.

Rydel screeched as she felt it "I'm gonna fall!"

"You're gonna swing!"

Sure enough, Rydel took tight hold of part of the web that was big enough to hold her as she swung over the hole. She stood on the strand of web before swinging over towards Ross.

Ross outstretched his arms to catch her, as he stood on the stairs by the railings "I've got ya!"

Rydel screamed as she swung, but instead of going into Ross she ended up swinging underneath him where she smashed into a wall with a dull bang. The Empress smirked. Ross grimaced, trying not to laugh "...oh. Sorry."

Rydel was sprawled out on her back below him after hitting the wall "Thanks for nothing."

"This Ross-man amuses me." The Empress said, looking over at him.

"Empress of the Racnoss - I give you one last chance. I can find you a planet. I can find you a place in the universe to coexist. Take that offer and end this now." Ross said.

"These men are so funny."

"That's your answer?" Ross asked. He really didn't know why he bothered giving enemies second chances to star anew when they just flung it back into his face.

"Oh - I'm afraid I have to decline." The Empress laughed.

Ross sighed "What happens next is your own doing."

"I'll show you what happens next!" She hissed "at arms!" The robot's raised their guns at Ross "Tale aim," they aimed "And-"

"Relax.." Ross said quietly. The robots went limp.

Rydel watched in confusion as they done so, she looked up at Ross as she got up from the floor "What did you do?"

"Guess what I've got, Rydel?" Ross asked, producing a remote control from his pocket "pockets." He said, referring to earlier when Rydel kept on taunting Ross about not having pockets to hold a phone or money in when they first had met.

"How did that fit in there?"

"They're bigger on the inside."

The Empress started again "Robo-forms are not necessary. My children may feast on Martian flesh."

"Oh, but.. I'm not from Mars."

"Then where?" The Empress asked.

"My home planet is far away and long-since gone. But it's name still lives on. Gallifrey."

All of a sudden the Empress became full of anger "They murdered the Racnoss!"

"I warned you! You did this." He then produced a hand full of baubles from earlier that the Santa's had.

"No! No! Don't! No!" The Empress shouted panicking.

Ross threw several handfuls of the baubles into the air. Some surrounded the Empress and some smashed into the walls of the corridor, destroying them and letting the water from the Thames River rush through the torrents quickly. Another bauble exploded, causing fire at the Empress's feet.

She wailed as the water flooded into the chamber and down the hole "My children!" The Empress shouted, grief-stricken.

Ross stood watching in silence as this all unfolded of what he had caused, surrounded by the fire and water, whilst the river swirled down the whole like it was a plughole.

The Empress was hysterical and in torturous pain as she was consumed by flames "No! My children! My children!"

Rydel watched as this all went on, realising it was enough. She looked up to Ross from underneath him "Ross! You can stop now!" She called up.

But Ross couldn't stop - he watched the Racnoss writhe and wail in agony with dark eyes, full of some secret pain and then - "Come on! Time I got you out!" Ross and Rydel then started running up the stairs, soaking wet from all the water.

"Transport me!"

The Empress managed to teleport herself back into her web in the sky that was trying to destroy London "Oh, they will suffer! So suffer! This planet shall be scorched!"

"But what about the Empress?" Rydel asked as her and Ross climbed the ladder to get out.

Ross followed Rydel close behind "She's used up all her Huon energy - she's defenseless!"

Huge army tanks rumbled down the streets of London and aimed their cannons up at the star. The Commander at the other end of one of the soldiers radio as he sat in the tank waiting to fire "Orders from Mr Worthy - fire at will!" The Commander spoke through it.

"Fire!" The solider shouted.

Cannon balls then shot out at the star from all the tanks in all directions and the star quickly fell to the pieces until it burst into flames and disintegrated completely, taking the Empress and everything else with it.

Ross and Rydel had finally reached the top of the ladder and the clambered out into the night, both whooping and cheering in delight when they realise the Racnoss has been destroyed. Rydel spoke after catching her breath, as her and Ross both balanced on top of the entrance of the ladder hole above the Thames River "Just... there's one problem..." Rydel said as she overlooked the River.

"What's that?" Ross asked.

"We've drained the Thames River."

And sure enough when they looked, the Thames River was completely emptied of water all over. Ross and Rydel then collapsed into laughter once more, realising what they had just done.

Later that night, the TARDIS materialised across the road from Rydel's house. She and Ross stepped outside from it "There we go," He said with a smile "told you she'd be all right. She can survive anything."

"More than I've done."

Ross scanned Rydel quickly with the screwdriver "Nope! All the Huon energy has gone. No damage, you're fine."

Rydel sighed "Yeah, but apart from that... I missed my wedding, lost my job and became a widow on the same day," She then shrugged "Kinda."

"I couldn't save him."

"He deserved it." She said, unfeelingly. Ross raised his eyebrows at Rydel, he'd never seen her like that before. Though in a way he expected it. Rydel's face softened "No he didn't," she admitted "I'd better get inside. They'll be worried."

"Best Christmas present they could have."

Both of them watched as Sylvia and Geoff, Rydel's parents, embraced each otehr through the window. "Oh, no, I forgot - you hate Christmas."

Rydel nodded "Yes, I do."

"Even if it snows?" He asked. He tweaked a hidden switch on the TARDIS and a ball of light shot out of the top and exploded like a firework in the sky into softly falling snow.

Rydel laughed with delight "I can't believe you did that!"

"Oh, basic atmospheric excitation." Ross said casually. He grinned at Rydel and she grinned back.

"Merry Christmas."

"And you," Ross replied. He paused for a moment "So... what will you do with yourself now?" He asked.

"Not getting married for starters," She said almost straight away "and I'm not gonna temp anymore. I don't know... travel... see a bit more of planet Earth... walk in the dust. Just... go out there and do something."

"Well, you could always.." Ross then stopped himself from going on, he wasn't even going to both to finish that sentence off and ask her that. Especially since he just lost Ratliff. Well, unless Rydel wanted too of course.

"What?"

"...Come with me..." He said tentatively.

Rydel smiled "No."

"Okay." Ross said quickly.

"I can't..."

"No, that's fine." Ross said with false indifference.

Rydel soon became overwhelmed "No, but really... everything we did today... do you really live your life like that?" She asked.

"Not all the time..." He said unconvincingly.

"I think you do. And I couldn't."

"But you've seen it out there. It's beautiful."

"And it's terrible," Rydel said almost straight away. For the first time that she'd been with Ross, she was actually speaking seriously for a change "that place was flooding and burning and they were dying and you were just stood there like... I don't know... a stranger. And then you made it snow - I mean, you scare me to death!"

"Well then.." Ross said, after a short silence.

Rydel smiled again, arms folded across her chest "I tell you what I will do though- Christmas dinner. Oh, come on."

Ross shook his head "I don't do that sort of thing.."

"You did last year with your friend you were talking about earlier. And you might as well because Mom always cooks enough for twenty."

After oo-ing and ahh-ing in his reluctance, he finally spoke "Oh, all right then..." He finally gave in "but you go first, better warn them. And... don't say I'm a Martian," he then indicated to the TARDIS "I just have to park her properly, she might drift off to the Middle Ages. I'll see you in a minute." he disappeared into the TARDIS, where it began to dematerialise.

That was when Rydel realised she wasn't ever going to see Ross ever again in her whole entire life "ROSS! ROSS!" Rydel yelled.

The engine on the TARDIS stopped and Ross popped his head outside the door "Jesus christ, you can shout."

Rydel let out a small laugh before going back to seriousness "Am I ever gonna see you again?" Rydel asked.

Ross smiled "If I'm lucky." Even though he knew there was a 10 percent chance out of a hundred he would. As for Ratliff, he knew there was a indefinite chance of him ever seeing him again. Reason number one why he hates parallel worlds.

"Just.. promise me one thing; find someone."

Ross looked at Rydel puzzled "I don't need anyone."

"Yes, you do," Rydel nodded "because sometimes, I think you need someone to stop you."

Ross spoke quietly "Yeah.." he paused for a small while and spoke again "Thanks then, Rydel - good luck - and just... be magnificent."

Rydel smiled and laughed "Yeah, I think I will." Ross smiled and retreated back into the TARDIS.

"ROSS!"

Ross opened the door again and spoke with mock exasperation "Oh, what is it now?" He asked.

"That friend of yours..." Rydel said, now she was finally going to get the chance to ask Ross about him without being interrupted "what was his name?" She asked.

Ross felt a lump in his throat, but he smiled anyway "His name was Ratliff." He then closed the door of the TARDIS for the last time, also being the last time he saw Rydel's face.

Instead of it's usual dematerialisation that Rydel had saw, the TARDIS shot up into the night sky. Rydel just watched with a sad smile and then walked back into her home.

Who knows, maybe she would meet Ross again some time in the future.

_**Next Time: Lynch & Marano**_

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_**Okay, so like the end of this chapter.. Rydel will eventually come back into it. I'll give you that spoiler.. but nothing more ;) I'm actually quite excited for Rydel to come back into it for reasons that you ALL might just love and hug me for once you've figured out something I'm layering into that arc of the story rather than just give it away straight away.. Anyway I'm gonna shut up before I do spoil it haha.**_

_**Now it's time for Rocky & Laura's arc of the story :) If you did't already know by the chapter name "Lynch & Marano" seen as though they're the LAST people to come into it from the "starring" list at the first chapter :D**_

_**PLEASE READ: I made a trailer for "Lynch & Marano" and I'm gonna try do that for ALL chapters :) I've posted the link at the TOP of my profile so you can watch it :)**_

_**so once you've watched the trailer for the next chapter lemme know what you think :)**_

_**6 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_


	20. Lynch & Marano: Rocky & Laura

_**Okay, so I hope you like Rocky & Laura's era of the story :) & I hope you like them both :D **_

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_**Lynch & Marano: Laura & Rocky**_

Laura Marano walked along Chancery Street as she was making her way to the hospital, training to be a doctor. It was morning, so she was listening to the radio on her phone seen as though if she walked all by herself with nothing she feels she'd be a loner. Though, she did say she'd walk with her friend Rocky seen as though he's training with her. Yet, she doesn't see the point in him training to do it. She begged him too because she didn't wanna be on her own, and he's about as helpful as a chocolate police man. So she decided to just meet him there. As she was walking her phone rang, she answered it "You're up early! What's happening?" Laura asked, her sister was ringing.

"It's a nightmare," Vanessa started to go on "because Dad won't listen, and I'm telling you, Mom is going mental. Swear to god, Laura, this is epic. You've got to get in there and stop him."

"How do I do that?"

"Tell dad he can't bring her!"

Laura went to go argue with Vanessa, but her phone started ringing again "Wait a minute, that's Leo. I'll call you back."

Leo took out clothes from his cupboard as he spoke on the phone to Laura "Laura, if Mom and Dad start to kick off, tell them I don't even want a party. I didn't even ask for one. They can always give me the money instead."

Laura scoffed "Yeah, but why do I have to tell them? Why can't you?" her phone then rang again. She really wasn't getting a break today "hold on, that's Mom. I'll call you later."

Leo lowered his phone, sighing exasperated.

"I don't mind your father making a fool of himself in private," Laura's Mom, Francine, started going on and complaining "but this is Leo's 21st, everyone is going to be there, and the entire family is going to look ridiculous."

Laura sighed, if she could climb through the phone and slap her Mom she really would. "Mom, it's a party, I can't stop Dad from bringing his girlfriend," and yet again her phone started ringing. She sighed, checking and seeing it was none other than her dad. "that's Dad, I'll call you back."

"Oh-"

Before her Mom got the chance to go on, Laura hung up and put the phone onto her Dad, Clive. Where then he started going on and complaining. "Laura? Now, tell your mother, Leo is my son, and I'm paying for half of that party. I'm entitled to bring who I like."

Laura sighed again, looking up to the sky. Right now she was actually wishing she was with Rocky right now and.. she never wishes that. "I know, but think what it's going to look like for Mom, if you're standing there with Annalise."

"What's wrong with Annalise?" Clive asked.

Annalise, who was blonde and pretty much all legs, got into Clive's car with him "Is that Laura?" Annalise asked "Say hi. Hi, Laura, hi!"

Laura mocked her cheeriness as she heard Annalise in the background "Hi, Annalise."

"Big kiss, lots of love, see you at the party, babe," she then turned to Clive "now take me shopping, big boy." She kissed him and he laughed.

Laura closed her phone as some blonde boy who looked about 17, Ross, stepped in front of her path stopping her in her tracks as she almost whacked into him. "Like so!" He said, taking off his coat "see?" and with that, the blonde stranger ran back off.

Laura looked puzzled for a moment and a little amused, whoever that was he kinda made her day a little bit. She then continued onto the hospital, the Royal Hope Hospital, to where she was training to be a doctor with Rocky.

As she got to the hospital doors, a man who was dressed in fully black leather with a shiny black helmet pushed Laura aside as she walked towards the doors. "Hey! Watch it mate!" Laura called to it as it just walked on. The man just looked at Laura for a moment before he entered the hospital. Laura hesitated to do so, a little nonplussed, she then went inside herself.

Laura walked up to her locker in the changing room to put on her lab coat. She touched her locker to close it, but when she did she got an electrical shock from it. Laura hesitantly shut the locker door, almost like she was scared. "Oh c'mon," Rocky said walking up behind her as he watched "the locker is not gonna -ow!" Rocky pulled his hand away from locker as he went to go shut it for her when he also felt an electrical shock.

Laura stood there, folding her arms giving Rocky a slight grin "You were saying?"

Rocky nudged Laura "Shut up, lets go."

A while later Rocky and Laura, along with other medical students, and their mentor Mr Stoker were all at a patients bedside. Florence Finnegan. "I was alright this morning," She said "and then, I don't know, I woke up and I felt all dizzy again. It was worse than when I came in."

Mr Stoker felt the patients pulse "Pulse is slightly thready," he said "well, let's see what Britain's finest might suggest. Any ideas, Moregenstern?"

"Dizziness can be a sign of early onset diabetes." Moregenstem said, who was another medical student.

"Hardly early onset, if you'll forgive me, Miss Finnegan. Anymore ideas?" He looked over at Rocky "Lynch?"

"Um.. could recommend a CT scan."

"And spend all our money?" He asked, he looked over at Laura "Marano?"

"We could take bloods and check for Meniere's disease."

"Or we could just simply ask the patient," he looked back to the patient "what did you have for dinner last night?"

"I had salad." Florence said.

"And the night before?"

"Salad again."

He looked back at the medical students "And salad every night for the past week, contrary to my instructions. Salt deficiency, that's what. Simple, honest salt," He said as he began to walk across the lobby with the students following him "Hippocrates himself expounded on the virtues of salt. Recommend the inhalation of steam from salt water. Though no doubt if he'd been afflicted with my students, results might have been rather more colourful."

As they continued to walk, two men who were dressed in full on black leather with shiny black helmets from earlier stepped out of the elevator. Laura paused to look at them as she followed the other students into another ward. She looked over where she saw the blonde stranger from earlier, Ross, sat in a bed in pyjamas. They all walked over to the bed, Mr Stoker started talking to him "Now then, Mr Lynch, a very good morning to you. How are you today?"

"Aw, not so bad, still a bit, you know. Blah." Ross said.

Mr Stoker looked at the students "Ross Lynch, admitted yesterday with severe abdominal pains. Marano, why don't you see what you can find?" He asked "amaze me."

Laura walked closer to the bed to look "That wasn't very clever," Laura said to Ross "running around outside, was it?"

"Excuse me?" Ross asked, confused. When was he running around outside? He's pretty sure he'd been here all morning and all night..

"On Chancery Street this morning. You came up to me and took your coat off."

"Really?" Ross asked, looking at Laura confused "what did I do that for?"

"I don't know," Laura shrugged "you just did."

Ross shook his head "Not me. I was here, in bed. Ask the nurses."

Laura looked at Ross puzzled "Well, that's weird, cause it looked like you. Have you got a brother?"

Ross shook his head "No, not anymore. Just me."

"As time passes and I grow even more infirm and weary, Miss Marano." Mr Stoker spoke, becoming extremely inpatient and fed up.

"Sorry. Right." Laura then put her stethoscope to Ross's chest, and became puzzled. She moved the stethoscope to the other side of his heart, where she hard another heart beat as well as the other. She looked up at Ross confused as well as a little scared, Ross just winked at her.

"I weep for further generations. Are you having trouble locating the heart, Miss Marano?" Mr Stoker asked.

Laura took away the stethoscope and looked at Mr Stoker "Um. I don't know. Stomach cramps?"

"That is a symptom, not a diagnosis," Mr Stoker said, sounding extremely fed up "and you rather failed basic techniques by not consulting first with the patients chart." He picked up the chart that was at the end of the bed, receiving an electric shock making him drop the chart.

"That happened to me and Laura this morning.." Rocky said, looking down at the clipboard that was now on the floor.

"I had the same thing on the door handle."

"And me, on the lift."

"That's only to be expected. There's a thunderstorm moving in and lightening is a form of static electricity, as first proven by-" Mr Stoker paused, hopefully letting someone answer but nobody would "anyone?" he asked.

"Benjamin Franklin." Ross said.

"Correct!"

"My friend Ben, that was a day and a half.." Ross went on "I got rope burns off that kite, and then I got soaked..."

"Quite..."

"...and then I got electrocuted.."

"Moving on," Mr Stoker turned around and walked off with the medical students, talking closer to Laura and Rocky "I think perhaps a visit from psychiatric as well."

Later that day, the medical students got a break so they were all off either in a kitchenette or off elsewhere having a break. Only Rocky and Laura were in the kitchenette. Rocky was just sat on top of the counter whilst Laura was on the phone to her sister "No, listen, I've worked out a plan. We tell Annalise that the buffet tonight is one hundred percent carbohydrate, and she won't turn up."

Vanessa walked down the street as she listened to Laura talking on the phone "I wish you'd take this seriously," Vanessa said "that's our inheritance she's spending. On fake tan. Tell you what, I'm not that far away, I'll drop by for a sandwich and we can draw up a plan."

Laura looked outside the window in the kitchenette at the torrential rain that was pouring from the sky "In this weather?" Laura asked "I'm not going out, it's pouring down."

Vanessa looked around. It wasn't raining. Was Laura going mad or something? "It's not raining here," Vanessa said. She turned around the corner when she saw the hospital where there was a huge black cloud over it pouring with rain "that's weird... it's sitting right on top of you, I can see it, but it's dry where I am."

"Well, you just got lucky."

Vanessa shook her head "No, but's it's like in the cartoons, you know, when a man's got a cloud over his head." She said as she continued to stare on at the cloud over the hospital.

Laura rolled her eyes "But listen, I tell you what we'll do..." as she spoke, Ross walked by the kitchenette, taking a quick glance in before continuing on walking. Laura continued on speaking down the phone, even though she never noticed him nor Rocky "we tell Dad and Annalise to get there early, for about 7:30, for Leo to do his birthday stuff. We tell Mom to come about 8:30 or nine, and that gives me time to have a word with Annalise, and-"

Rocky looked outside of the window as Laura kept on talking to Vanessa, his eyes widened slightly as he looked at the ran. Now.. that wasn't natural. He slowly got off the counter top, walked up to Laura and touched her arm still looking out the window. "What?" Laura asked, looking at Rocky.

"The rain..." He said.

"It's only rain..."

Vanessa stared at the rain she could see over the hospital "Laura... have you seen the rain?" Vanessa asked.

"Why's everyone fussing about the rain?" Laura asked.

"It's going up.." Rocky told her. Laura gave him a confused look.

"The rain is going up..." Vanessa said.

Laura looked outside the window, seeing that the rain was in fact going up rather than down. All of a sudden the building started shaking as if there was a violent earthquake, causing Rocky and Laura to fall along with most things on the counters and in the cupboards. After a little while, it stopped. When it did, Laura got up along with Rocky "What the hell was that?" Laura asked.

"Are you okay?" Rocky asked.

Laura nodded "Yeah, I think so. It like an earthquake, or-"

"Laura?" Rocky asked, cutting her off as yet again he stared out of the window "It's night... it was lunchtime like.. ten, twenty seconds ago."

"It's not night."

Rocky nodded "It's got to be Laura! It's dark! Unless some kind of giant waterfall that suddenly appeared in the solar system put out the frickin' sun!"

Laura went over to the window and looked out of it, she looked in shock "Oh my god," She said "we're on the moon.."

"Shut up!" Rocky said, looking out the window also "we can't be..."

"We're on the moon," Laura continued to say in disbelief "we're on the freakin' moon!"

Rocky also looked out of the window where the hospital was in fact isolated on the surface of the moon. Both of them could hear people in the distance of the hospital panicking because of where they were. They just looked at each other for a moment and looked back out of the window.

Vanessa ran over to the site of the hospital, which was now a huge hole in the ground. Before she got that close to it, she was stopped by a police man "I'm sorry, Miss, no."

"My god..." Vanessa turned around and spoke into her mobile phone praying like hell Laura was still on the other end "Laura? Can you hear me? Laura!" She walked a little further away, not realising she was walking by the TARDIS.

As Rocky and Laura made their way through the hospital, people were running around and screaming which meant they both had to push their way through into a side room. They looked out of the window where they could just see the Earth slightly over the horizon of the Moon. After staring for a short while, they turned around and left the room passing Florence "Have you seen-"

Laura cut her off before she could continue "Sorry, not now."

Rocky and Laura both came out into the hospital ward, and because Rocky had the louder voice than Laura he had to shout over everyone "Alright, everyone back to bed, we've got an emergency but we'll sort it out!" He yelled out over them "now stop being cry-a-babies and go to sleep. Surely when you wake up we'll be back on Earth."

Laura shook her head, putting her head in one hand. She couldn't believe how insensitive Rocky could be in times like these.

From the next bed, Ross watched both Rocky and Laura. He then pulled the curtains around his bed shut. Rocky walked over to the window, followed by Laura. "It's real," Rocky said in disbelief "it's actually real. Like oh my god, what the hell. If I knew being a doctor could be this fun, I'd of trained ages ago. Hold on." He then reached for the latch on the window.

"Don't!" Laura said, trying to stop him "we'll lose all the air if you do that!"

"The windows aren't exactly air tight, Laura," Rocky said keeping his hands on the latch "if the air was going to get sucked out, it would of happened straight away, but it didn't. So why didn't it?"

Ross pulled aside the bed curtain, now fully dressed in actual clothes rather than pyjamas. He slowly walked over to them "Very good point!" Ross said to Rocky "brilliant in fact. What was your name?"

"Rocky..." he said, he then pointed at Laura "and that's Laura."

"And it was... Lynch and Marano, wasn't it?" He asked. Both of them nodded. "Well then, Rocky Lynch and Laura Marano, the question is, how are we still breathing?" He asked.

"We can't be!" Laura said.

"Obviously we are so don't waste my time," Ross then looked at Rocky from Laura "Rocky, what have we got? Is there a balcony on this floor, or a veranda, or...?"

"By the patient's lounge, yeah." Rocky said.

"Fancy going out?"

"Okay."

"We might die."

"We might not."

"Good!" Ross smiled "c'mon," he looked at Laura "not her. She'd hold us up." He said, turning around and beginning to walk with Rocky.

"Hey!" Laura called "I'm coming whether you like it or not!" She said, following them both.

The three of them walked up to the doors of the balcony in the patients lounge and pushed both of the doors open to it. They all stepped out onto the balcony, realising they had air. "We've got air!" Rocky said relieved "how does that work?"

"Just be glad it does." Ross said.

Laura looked around, seeing the rest of the solar system as well as Earth when she started to panic and worry again "I've got a party tonight..." She started "it's my brothers twenty-first. My mother's going to be really.. really.."

"Told ya she'd hold us up." Ross said, turning to Rocky.

Rocky looked away from Ross and over to Laura "You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Sure?"

"Yeah..."

"Want to go back in?" Ross asked.

"No way!" Laura said shaking her head, walking right up on the balcony "I mean, we could die any minute, but all the same time - it's beautiful."

Ross was a little amazed at how she could go from scared to loving it on 0.5 seconds "You think?" he asked.

"How many people want to go to the Moon though?" Laura asked, smiling brightly like a child on their birthday or Christmas Day "and here we are!"

"Standing in the earth light."

Rocky walked up further onto the balcony over to the ledge with Laura "What do you think happened?" Rocky asked.

"What do you think?" Ross asked, looking at him as he stood behind them both.

"Extraterrestrial," Rocky said "it's got to be. I don't know," he shrugged "a few years ago that would have sounded mad, but these days?" Rocky asked, he let out a scoff "that spaceship flying into Big Ben - Christmas - those... Cybermen and other weird robot things with an arm that looked like a plunger.."

"Dalek's." Ross corrected him. He knew where this conversation was going. It was going to the whole doomsday situation with the Cybermen and Dalek's. It's funny how he couldn't avoid that subject when he talked to someone from Earth.. wasn't it? Not that he didn't wanna talk about it, he would gladly talk about it. You know.. if he hadn't of lost Ratliff in the whole situation.

"I had a cousin," Rocky went on "Adeola. We called her 'Addy' for short, everyone did. Even her boss Yvonne," Ross's eyes widened. He remembered Addy.. he killed her. Now he felt guilty, but he only killed her to save her cause she would of died a more painful way! and Yvonne... damn it. Why was this bringing back so many horrible memories. He had no choice in the matter to continue listening as Rocky spoke "She worked at Canary Wharf at Torchwood. She never came home."

Ross frowned, with some sadness but more guilt "I-I'm sorry.."

"Yeah.."

"I was there," Ross said "in the battle."

Rocky just stayed silent until Laura spoke up, turning to Ross "I promise you, Mr Lynch, we will find a way out. If we can travel to the Moon, then we can travel back. There's got to be away."

"It's not Lynch," Ross said "it's just Ross... I took Lynch from one of my friends, actually two.. Riker and Rydel Lynch, they weren't related," He looked at Rocky "any relation to you?"

"Nope. No brothers no sisters." He said. "But.. I do know Rydel Lynch. I've known her since I was a child. I was at her wedding... you were there too."

Wow. Ross actually meeting someone to do with someone he's almost travelled with before? That's never happened. Strange. "Yeah, I took Lynch from them because I have no last name. I only took Lynch because Ross Lynch sounds better than Ross Ratliff - well... when you say it Ross Ratliff doesn't sound right, but it does sound right more in a relationship kinda way- I'm just gonna shut up."

"This Ratliff person a friend of yours?" Laura asked "or shall I say... girlfriend?"

"She was a boy." Ross corrected her.

"Oh.."

"And he wasn't my boyfriend. Least.. to me he wasn't. Though through everyone else's eyes they thought he was. Even his friend Ryan did and his sister, also his brother and his brother's friend Jake," Ross sighed, speaking a little quieter as he looked out over the balcony "though I think if we hadn't of got separated we both might of actually finally of decided to be that."

Rocky never heard that last part, but Laura did. She smiled slightly but with more sympathy than happiness. She was just taking it that in the battle of Canary Wharf with the Dalek's and Cybermen he died, she touched Ross's arm and stroked it. Ross then sighed, clapping his hands together "Anyway, let's have a look at this thing shall we?" Ross asked, he looked on the floor where he found a pebble. He picked it up and threw it where it bounced off something which looked like an invisible force field "there must be some sort of force field keeping the air in."

Rocky watched as he did that "If that's like a bubble sealing us in, that means this is the only air we've got," He said "what happens when we run out?"

"How many people in this hospital?"

"I don't know, a thousand?"

"One thousand people... suffocating."

Laura looked up at Ross with confusion "Why would anyone do that?" She asked.

All of a sudden there was a rumbling sound coming from above that sounded like a space ship of some sort. Ross looked up "Heads up," He said, making Rocky and Laura look up also "ask them yourself."

They watched as about three ships, Judoon ships, arrived and landed a short way away on the Moon from the hospital before beginning to march towards the hospital together. "Aliens," Laura said "that's aliens. Real, proper aliens."

"Judoon."

Rocky, Laura and Ross ran back into the hospital quickly and took cover behind some potted planets on the mezzanine level. Just watching as the Judoon entered the hospital, walking through the force field and through the doors, swinging them open with force. People watched as some screamed, some ran and some cowered with fear, trying to hide.

The chief Judoon removed his helmet, revealing a rhinoceros, but with a human body "Bo sco fo do no kro blo co sho ro!" He spoke.

The medical student, Morgenstern, walked up to him cowering a little bit but spoke to him "We are citizens of planet Earth. We welcome you in peace." The chief Judoon then pushed him against the wall, shining a blue light in his face "Please don't hurt me," Morgenstern started to beg "I was just trying to help, I'm sorry, don't hurt me, please don't hurt me."

The Judoon played his words back on a portable machine "Language assimilated," The chief Judoon spoke "designation Earth English. You will be catalogued," he shined the blue light in Morgenstern's face and marked a cross on the back of his hand "Category: Human. Catalogue all suspects."

All of the Judoon then started shining the blue light on people, checking their species and the marking their right hand each with a cross, saying "Human" as they done so. Ross, Rocky and Laura all continued to watch this from behind the potted plant "Oh, look down there," Ross said where there was a shop "you've got a little shop. I like a little shop."

"Never mind that!" Laura said "what are Judoon?"

"Galactic police. Well, police for hire," Ross started "more like interplanetary thugs."

"And they brought us to the Moon?"

"Neutral territory. According to galactic law, they've got no jurisdiction over the Earth, and they isolated us. That rain?" Ross asked, reminding Rocky and Laura about it "that lightening? That was them, using an H2O scoop."

"What's that about 'galactic law'?" Rocky asked "where'd you get that from? If they're police, are we under arrest? Are we trespassing on the Moon or something?"

"No. But I like that. Good thinking Rocky." Ross looked at Rocky with a smile, he then looked back at the Judoon going round and marking people as they checked for their species "no, it's more simple. They're making a catalogue, it means they're after something non-human, which is very bad news for me..." Ross said.

"Why?" Laura asked. Ross then looked at Laura, "oh, you're kidding me.." Laura said with disbelief, Ross raised an eye brow "don't be ridiculous! Stop looking at me like that!"

"Come on then!" Ross said.

The three of them then spoke as the chief Judoon spoke "Troop five, floor one. Troop six, floor two. Identify humans and find the transgressor. Find it."

All three of them, Ross, Rocky and Laura, all entered a hospital corridor at a run until they found an office room. They entered inside it, shutting the door behind them whilst Ross went over to a computer and started to examine a computer with the sonic screwdriver. "They've reached the third floor," Rocky said, he looked over at Ross and saw what he was doing to the computer "what's that thing?"

"Sonic screwdriver."

"Well, if you're not going to answer me properly!"

"No, really, it is," He said as he continued on doing what he was doing "it's a screwdriver, and it's sonic. Look."

Rocky looked at it "What else have you got? A laser spanner?" He asked sarcastically.

"Eh, use to. But it was stolen by Emily Pankhurst, cheeky women," Ross then hit the computer "oh, this computer! The Judoon must of locked it down. Judoon platoon upon the Moon. Cause I was just travelling past, I swear, I was just wandering, I wasn't looking for trouble, honestly, I wasn't, but I noticed these plasma coils around the hospital, and that lightening, that's plasma coils, been building up for two days now, so I checked in, I thought something was going on inside, it was turns out the plasma coils were the Judoon up above." Ross explained/rambled.

"But what were they looking for?" Laura asked.

"Something that looks human, but isn't."

"Like you. Apparently."

"Like me. But not me."

Rocky folded his arms, leaning against the desk "Haven't they got a photo?" Rocky asked.

"Might be a shape-changer."

"Whatever it is," Rocky said "can't you just leave the Judoon to find it?" He asked.

Ross looked up at Rocky from where he sat on the chair at the desk "If they declare the hospital guilty of harbouring a fugitive, they'll sentence it to execution."

"All of us?"

"Oh yes," Ross said looking back at the computer to try get it to work "if I can find this thing first... oh!" He made the computer finally work and found what he was looking for "just that they;re thick! Judoon are thick! They are completely thick! They wiped the records. Oh, that's clever."

"What are we looking for?" Laura asked.

"I don't know," Ross said "any patient admitted in the past week with unusual symptoms. Maybe there's a back-up."

"Just, you two keep working," Laura said making her way to the door "I'll go ask Mr Stoker. He might know." She then opened the door and left, making a break for Mr Stokers office.

Laura ran down the hall as fast as she could and knocked on the door to Mr Stokers office when she reached it, but she only knocked once before entering without waiting for an answer "Mr Stoker!" Laura called going into the office.

She went in, only to see Mr Stokers feet poking out around the desk and the two men from early dressed in black leather and black shiny helmets, also known as Slabs. Her mouth dropped open as Florence, the patient from earlier, arise from the floor beside Mr Stoker with a straw in her hand. Laura's eyes widened so before Florence and the two slabs could do anything to her, she made a run out of the room.

"Kill her!" Florence said to the two Slabs.

With that, the two Slabs went after Laura as she ran.

* * *

**I might try and update part 2 later tonight or tomorrow after school... Depends.**

**6 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**


	21. Lynch & Marano: Judoon

_**Lynch & Marano: Judoon**_

Laura ran down the hallway of the hospital as fast and far away from Mr Stoker's room as possible away from Florence and them two men in black people. No doubt if she slowed down or didn't run, they'd catch her and kill her. As she ran, luckily she saw Ross and Rocky running in her direction where she met with both of them half way down the hall. Ross grabbed Laura's arms, spinning round a little bit to stop her running "I've restored the back-up!" Ross said.

"I found her." Laura said.

"You what?" Ross asked. Hearing footsteps coming down the hallway, Ross and Rocky both turned their heads to see two people dressed in black leather and black helmets, Slabs, coming directly towards them "run!" Ross shouted to both of them.

All three of them immediately sprinted in the direction Ross and Rocky had came from, making the Slabs pick up their pace of chasing after them.

They ran down the nearest set of stair cases, followed by the Slabs, before stopping in their tracks immediately as they saw the Judoon coming up the stairs in their direction. They were ambushed by Judoon coming up and Slabs coming down. Rocky turned his head, looking for a diversion and escape route when his eyes landed on a door leading onto the fourth floor. "Here!" He said. Quickly, they all dodged the Judoon's sight and ran into the hallway of the fourth floor.

Struggling to stay on their feet as they ran on the slippy surface, they skidded round a number of corners in the hallway of the hospital with the Slabs hot on their trail. That's when eventually Ross spotted a radiology room where the three of them skidded into it, Rocky falling onto the ground as he did so after finally losing his balance and gasping for air after, what felt like, the mile run they had just done.

Ross slammed the doors shut in the face of a Slab, locking it as he came into the room after Laura and Rocky. He turned to Laura, seen as though she was closest to the button and Rocky was half dead on the floor due to lack of air getting into his lungs. Which meant, the oxygen was starting to run out. "Laura, when I say 'now', press the button!"

"I don't know which one!" Laura panicked, looking at the many buttons that were behind the screen. Rocky crawled from the floor over behind the screen.

"Find out!" He used the sonic on some of the machinery, putting it into the x-ray machine, whilst Laura went for the Operators manual. That's when the Slab broke down the door to the room. "NOW!" Ross shouted.

Laura let out a shriek and smacked the board with all the buttons on, where it zapped the Slab with radiation; making his skeleton visible to everyone. The Slab fell inert. "What did you?" Rocky asked, regaining his breath at last, but not all that much.

"Increased the radiation by five thousand percent. Killed him dead." Ross said.

"Isn't that likely to kill you?" Laura asked.

Ross shook his head "No, it's only radiation. We used to play with roentgen bricks in the nursery. It's safe for you to come out, I've absorbed it all," Rocky and Laura then came out from behind the screen "all I need to do is expel it," he then started bouncing and hopping from foot to foot "if I concentrate I can shake the radiation out of my body and into one spot. It's in my left shoe.." he started shaking his leg "here we go, here we go, easy does it..." he shook his foot "out, out, out, out, out. Out, out, ah, ah, ah, ah. It is, it is, it is, it is, it is hot. Ah - hold on," he undone the lace to his shoe and took it off, throwing it into the dustbin leaving him in one converse and in one sock "done." He sighed with relief.

"You're completely mad."

"Right," Ross nodded "I look stupid with one show," he removed the other shoe and threw it into the bin also "in my socks on the moon!"

Laura just stared at Ross in disbelief. He was actually completely insane.

Rocky decided to ignore what had just happened and went over to the Slab "So what is that thing?" He asked "and where's it from? The planet Zovirax?"

"It's just a Slab," Ross said also going over it, standing by Rocky "they're called 'Slabs'. Basic slave drones, see? Solid leather, all the way through. Someone has got one hell of a fetish."

"It came with that women," Laura said stepping forward to also have a look at the Slab "Mrs Finnegan. It was working for her. Just like a servant."

Ross walked over to the x-ray machine and pulled out what remained of the sonic screwdriver. It was basically in pieces, near enough "My sonic screwdriver.." he said sadly with an almost pout.

"She was one of the patients, but-"

"I loved my sonic screwdriver!"

"Ross!"

"Sorry," Ross tossed the sonic screwdriver away, seen as though it was no use. He then smiled "You called me Ross."

Laura shook her head "Anyway! Miss Finnegan is the alien. She was drinking Mr Stoker's blood."

"Funny time to take a snack. You'd think she'd be hiding," he laughed. Then his face went straight "unless - no. Yes, that's it, wait a minute. Yes! Shape-changer. Internal shape-changer. She wasn't drinking blood, she was assimilating it. If she can assimilate Mr Stoker's blood, mimic the morphology, she can register as human. We've got to find her and show the Judoon. Come on!" He then ran out of the room, followed by Rocky and Laura.

As they ran out into the next hallway, a Slab came into their sight and all three of them jumped behind a water cooler and hid behind it whilst the Slab walked down the hallway "That's the thing about Slabs. They always travel in pairs." Ross said.

"What about you?" Rocky asked.

"What about me what?"

"I mean, I know about your Ratliff friend and him being dead," Rocky said "but haven't you got some sort of back-up? You must have a partner or something?"

Ross looked at Rocky as if he was intellectually challenged, and spoke like he was intellectually challenged "Uh. Humans. We're stuck on the moon running out of air with Judoon and a blood sucking criminal, you're asking personal questions. Come on."

Laura scoffed "I like that. 'humans'. I'm not not convinced you're an alien."

All of them then got up from the floor where the three of them stood in front of a Judoon who shone it's blue light on Ross's face "Non-human." The Judoon said.

"Oh my god," Laura said in disbelief "you really are!"

"And again!" Ross said, turning around and running with Rocky and Laura down the hallway as the Judoon chased after them. They ran back up the stairs and managed to lock the door behind them, emerging into a corridor where people were falling to the ground, gasping for breath "they've done this floor. Come on. The Judoon are logical and just a little bit thick. They won't go back to check the floor they've checked already. If we're lucky."

Laura looked, seeing a medical student from earlier coming by. She stopped her quickly "How much oxygen is there?" Laura asked.

"Not enough for all these people. We're going to run out."

Ross looked at Laura after the medical student walked off to try get some more oxygen tanks "How are you two feeling? Are you all right?" Ross asked.

"I'm running on adrenaline." Rocky said.

"Yeah, me too." Laura chimed.

"Welcome to my world." Ross said with a slight smile.

"What about the Judoon?"

"Ah, great big lung reserves, it won't slow them down. Where's Mr Stoker's office?" Ross asked.

Laura started walking to guide Ross "This way."

They walked down the hallway until they reached Mr Stoker's office. They entered. Laura looked around, eyes wide and mouth open in shock "She's gone!" Laura almost shouted "she was here."

Ross went over to Mr Stoker who was on the floor and got a good look at him "She drained him dry. Every last drop. I was right. She's a plasmavore."

Rocky looked over the desk and down to Mr Stoker where he was just laid there pale white "What was she doing on Earth?"

"Hiding. On the run. Like Ronald Biggs in Rio De Janeiro. What's she doing now?" Ross asked as he stood up from the floor "she's still not safe. The Judoon could execute us all. Come on."

All of them exited the room and walked down the hallway they had just been on in the hunt to find Florence. Ross just kept on rambling onto himself out loud "Think, think, think. If I was a plasmavore surrounded by police, what would I do?" He looked around until his eyes landed on a MRI sign "aah. She's as clever as me. Almost."

"Find the non-human. Execute." A Judoon's voice could be heard in the near background.

Ross looked down the hallway and to Rocky and Laura "Stay here. I need time. You're both going to have to hold them up!"

"How do we do that?!" Laura asked.

"Rocky, Laura," Ross said, sounding full of regret which made them both worry "forgive me for this. It's to save a thousand lives, it means nothing. Honestly, nothing. Rocky, I have no idea if you've ever kissed a boy in your past, so therefore... It means nothing."

"Kissed a boy?" Rocky asked "what are y-" before Rocky got the chance to finish off his sentence, Ross grabbed Rocky's face by the cheeks and kissed him on the lips for around five seconds. He then pulled away, doing the same to Laura kissing her for around the same amount of time. "Like I said, means nothing!" Ross called as he bolted down the hallway away from the Judoon's voices.

"Well..." Rocky said, standing there like his life had just flashed before his eyes "that was new.."

Ross ran into the MRI room, where sure enough Florence was working with the controls that was making the machine in the room make strange noises. Ross looked at the door and at Florence, pretending to be panicked "Have you seen - there are these thing, those great big space rhino things, I mean rhinos from space!" He pretended to be panicked, worried and amazed at the same time, going closer to the screen "and I only came in for..." he thought for a moment "a problem I've been having with my feet," he said, pointing to them as he had no shoes on. Only thing he could think of "they're all right now, perfectly good treatment, I said to my girlfriend, I'd totally recommend this place to anyone, but then we end up on the moon! And did I mention the rhinos?" He asked.

Florence looked over to Ross, looking him up and down "Hold him!"

That's when two Slabs took hold of Ross so he couldn't move.

Rocky and Laura both bravely stood in another corridor as they followed the Judoon walking around. They didn't know what to do really, what did Ross want them to do? Get caught? Stall them? Obviously. "Now listen," Rocky said, catching the Judoon's attention "we know who you're looking for. She's this woman. She calls herself Florence."

One of the Judoon came over close to Rocky and Laura, shining their blue light onto them both to examine them "Human. With non-human traits suspected. Non-human element confirmed. Authorize full scan. What are you? What are you?"

Florence fussed around with the MRI machine whilst the Slabs kept tight hold of Ross in his place. Ross just kept on having to play dumb "That thing, that big machine thing, is it suppose to be making that noise?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Isn't that a magnetic resonance imaging thing?" He asked "like a ginormous sort of a magnet? I did magnets at GCSE. Well, I failed, but all the same."

"The magnetic setting is now set to 50,000 Tesla."

"Ooh. That's a bit strong, isn't it?"

"I can send out a magnetic pulse that will fry the brain-stems of every living thing within 250,000 miles. Except me," Florence explained with a grin "safe in this room."

Ross laughed nervously "But.. Hold on, hold on, I did geography for GCSE, I did pass that one, doesn't that distance include Earth?"

"Only the side facing the moon. The other half with survive," Florence smiled sweetly at the next part "call it my little gift."

"I'm sorry, you'll have to forgive me, I'm a little out of my depth," He laughed a little again "I've spent the past five years as a paper boy, hence the problems with the feet - why would you do that?"

"With everyone dead, the Judoon ships will be mine, to make my escape."

"Now, that's weird," Ross said, still playing dumb "you're talking like you're some sort of alien."

"Right-o."

"Nooooooo!" Ross said in disbelief, even though he already knew it from the start. He really didn't know how long he could keep up pretending he didn't know what was going on anymore. He just hoped Rocky and Laura would come soon with the Judoon "you're joshing me."

"I am not."

"I'm talking to an alien?" Ross asked "in hospital? What, has this place got an ET department?"

"It's the perfect hiding place," Florence went on to explain "blood banks downstairs for a midnight feast, and all this equipment I'm ready to arm myself with, should the police come looking."

"So, those rhinos, they're looking for you?"

"Yes. But I'm hidden."

"Oh. Right!" Ross smiled, pretending it made sense to him "maybe that's why they're increasing their scans."

"They're doing what?"

"Big chief rhino boy, he said, no sign of a non-human, we must increase our scans... up to setting two?"

"Then I must assimilate again."

"Do what now?"

"I must appear human."

"Well, you're welcome to come home and meet my girlfriend," He continued to play stupid, which right now he was actually starting to enjoy "she'd be honoured. We can have cake."

"Why should I have cake?" Florence asked, then taking out a straw "I've got my little straw."

"That's nice," Ross nodded still smiling "milkshake. I like banana."

"You're quite the funny man," Florence smiled as she got closer to Ross with the straw "and yet, I think, laughing on purpose at the darkness. I think it's time you found some peace. Steady him!"

"What are you doing?" Ross asked, as the Slabs held him whilst Florence prepared to put the straw onto him.

"I'm afraid this is going to hurt. But if it's any consolation, the dead don't tend to remember."

Florence put the straw to Ross's throat and began to drink his blood through the straw until he finally dropped to the floor dead. That's when the Judoon burst through the door with Rocky and Laura behind "Now see what you've done. This poor boy just died of fright."

"Scan him!" The Judoon said, scanning him "Confirmation: deceased."

"No, he can't be." Laura said pushing through them as well as Rocky, looking down upon Ross's dead body.

"Stop. Case closed."

"But it was her!" Laura yelled at the chief Judoon, pointing at Florence "she killed him! She did it! She murdered him!"

"The Judoon have no authority over human crime."

"But she's not human!"

"Oh, but I am," Florence said "I've been catalogued.

Rocky sighed in frustration now "She's not!" He said "she assimil-" He paused "wait a minute... you drank his blood. Ross's blood." Rocky snatched a Judoon's scanner and scanned her.

Florence rolled her eyes "Oh alright, can all you want."

"Non-human." The Judoon said.

"What?"

"Confirm analyse."

"Oh, but's a mistake, surely. I'm human. I'm as human as they come." Florence tried to convince them.

"He gave his life so that they'd find you." Rocky said.

"Slab. Stop them!"

The Slab went to go shoot the Judoon, but the Judoon shot back where the Slabs then disintegrated. "Verdict: Guilty," The Judoon spoke "sentence: execution."

All of a sudden the warning light came up on the machine with 'Magnetic Overload'.

"Enjoy your victory Judoon, because you're going to burn with me. Burn in hell!" Florence screamed as the Judoon shot at her, making her disintegrate.

Rocky and Laura rushed through and over to Ross on the floor. Laura looked up "What did she man 'burn with me'?" Laura asked "the scanner shouldn't be doing that. She's done something."

"Scans detect lethal acceleration of monomagnetic pulse."

"Well, do something! Stop it!" Rocky yelled at the Judoon.,

"Our jurisdiction has ended. Judoon will evacuate."

Rocky started raising his voice louder at him "You can't just leave it! What's it going to do?!"

"All units withdraw." And with that, the Judoon exited the room along with the rest of the Judoon. Exiting the hospital and too their spaceships.

"What about the air?" Laura asked, feeling her chest becoming tighter "we're running out of... air."

"You can't go!" Rocky yelled after them "that things gonna explode and it's all your fault!" but it was too late, the Judoon were gone. Rocky started to cough violently as he walked back into the room, feeling little oxygen getting to his lungs. He fell to his knees on the floor "Laura... get Ross.. alive.. tell.." before he got the chance to finish it off, Rocky had passed out onto the floor due to the oxygen running out for him.

"Rocky!" Laura squealed. She looked at Ross on the floor and knelt beside him, starting to apply pulmonary resuscitation techniques, hoping it would work on him. "One, two, three four five, one, two, three, four five..." She took a deep breath before remembering something "two hearts!" She put her hands back onto his chest and pressed down on it again "one, two, three, four, five, one, two, three, four, five!" Laura then started to run out of air. Much to her luck, Ross revived and started to cough as he sat up on the floor. Laura fell to the floor same as Rocky "The scanner... she did something.." with that, Laura passed out same as Rocky.

Coughing, Ross crawled and staggered to the MRI machine, unplugging it. He got up from the floor, looking down at Rocky and Laura, sighing. How was he going to get both of them out of here safely? He'd have to take them one at a time. Starting with Laura, seen as though she's the lightest. So he picked her up off the floor bridal style.

He carried her down a corridor where patients and doctors alike were either very weak or unconscious, like Rocky and Laura, due to oxygen starvation.

A little while later, Ross had managed to get both Rocky and Laura too the same place before looking out of a window on the hospital ward at the Judoon ships "Come on, come on, come on. Come on, Judoon, reverse it," all of a sudden rain started coming down on the windows, Ross smiled "it's raining, guys. It's raining on the moon."

Then in a flash of white light, they disappeared.

The hospital had now reappeared where it originally was before it had disappeared, with Vanessa and onlookers at the side of the hole. Emergency care commenced whilst Rocky and Laura sat outside the front of the hospital on the back of an ambulance, looking thoughtful whilst the other medical student Morgenstern was talking to someone who was interviewing him about the whole thing.

"Laura! Rocky!" Vanessa ran up to them both "oh, god! I thought you were both dead! What happened? It was so weird, because the police wouldn't say, they didn't have a clue. And I tried phoning, but I couldn't get through. Mom's on her way, but she couldn't get through, they've closed off all the roads."

Laura and Rocky looked where they saw Ross walking away towards the TARDIS. Ross smiled over at them both and waved. A truck zoomed by Ross, blocking Rocky and Laura from seeing it and once the truck was gone, both Ross and the TARDIS had disappeared.

Vanessa just went on talking "There's thousands of people trying to get in, the whole city's ground to a half, and Dad phoned, cause it's on the news and everything, he was crying. It's been a mess, and what happened? I mean, what really happened? Where were you?"

Rocky and Laura just continued staring at where the TARDIS was, hearing the last traces of the TARDIS engines.

Later that night, Laura was in her bedroom getting ready to go to the party whilst she was listening to the radio where the announcer was talking about what had happened to the hospital.

_"Eyewitness reports from the Royal Hope Hospital continue to pour in, and it all seems to be remarkably consistent. This is from Medical student Oliver Morgenstern."_

_"I was there. I saw it happen. And I feel uniquely privileged. I looked out at the surface of the moon. I saw the Earth, suspended in space, and it all just proves Mr Worthy right. We're not alone in the universe. There's life out there: wild and extraordinary life."_

Worthy. This 'Mr Worthy' man seemed to be popping up a lot lately.

Oh well.

Surely it was nothing to worry about. Right?

Annalise stormed outside from the pub where Leo was having his party "I am not prepared to be insulted!"

Clive chased after her out of the pub followed by Laura, Rocky, Francine, Leo and Vanessa "She didn't mean it, sweetheart. She just said you look healthy."

"No, I did not," Francine said "I said orange."

"Clive, that woman is disrespecting me. She never liked me."

"Oh, I can't think why, after you stole my husband."

"I was seduced!" Annalise protested "I'm entirely innocent! Tell her, Clive!"

Francine continued "And then she has a go at Rocky and Laura, practically accused her of making the whole thing up!"

"Mom, we don't mind," Laura said "just leave it."

"Oh, 'I've been to the moon!' as if," Annalise said, throwing Rocky and Laura both dirty looks "as if. They were drugged. It said so on the news."

"Since when did you watch the news?" Rocky asked "I didn't think you were intelligent enough to know what the news was."

Vanessa turned to Laura "Annalise started it. She did. I heard her."

"Vanessa, don't make it worse." Leo sighed, rubbing his head. All he wanted was a peaceful birthday. Did he get that? No. Does he ever? No.

"You're talking, Leo. What did she buy you, soap?" Vanessa asked "a seventy-five pence soap?"

"Oh, I'm never talking to your family again!" She turned around and stormed off.

All of them then started to talk all over each other apart from Rocky and Laura who had just about enough of all this "Oh, stay, have a night out." Francine said.

"Don't you dare. I'm putting my foot down. This is me, putting my foot down." Clive chased after Annalise.

"Dad!" Leo shouted.

Now Francine went after him with Leo behind "Make a fool of yourself! God knows, you've been doing it for the last twenty-five years! Why stop now?" She then turned around, storming off.

Vanessa followed "Mum, don't! I asked the DJ and he's playing that song later-"

Laura just stood there, looking distressed as well as Rocky who was just stood there not knowing what to do. Rocky let his eyes wonder where he saw Ross standing on the corner of an alleyway, he touched Laura and pointed for her to look. Both of them looked where Ross smiled, giving them both a 'follow me' look before disappearing down the alleyway. They both looked at each other, not giving it a second thought and following him.

They found him standing down in the alleyway, leaning against the TARDIS where there was a "VOTE WORTHY" poster on the wall behind where Rocky and Laura were. "We went to the moon today." Laura said.

"A bit more peaceful then down here." Ross said.

Rocky cocked his head, looking at Ross "You never even told us who you are..."

"I'm Ross.. Hi. Did tell you back in the hospital."

Rocky folded his arms, remembering the whole alien thing "What sort of species? It's not every day we get to ask that."

"I'm a Time Lord."

"Right!" Laura smiled "not pompous at all, then."

"I just thought," Ross said coming off the TARDIS "since you both saved my life and I've got a brand new sonic screwdriver which needs road testing, you two might fancy a trip."

"What, into space?" Rocky asked. Ross shrugged. "Aw sweet, I'm in!" He said, going up to the TARDIS.

Laura shook her head "I can't. I've got exams. I've got things to do. I have to go into town first thing and pay the rent, I've got my family going mad..."

"If it helps, I can travel in time, as well."

"Get out of here!" Laura said in disbelief. "Come on, that's going too far."

"I'll prove it." Ross walked into the TARDIS, where it started to make noises and then disappeared as Rocky and Laura both watched. Laura walked over to the spot where it was and waved her hand where it was, that's when it started to come so she jumped back. Ross stepped out from it, holding his coat "Told you!"

"I know..." Laura said "but.. that was this morning! But - Did you... Oh, my god! You can travel in time!" Ross put on his coat again "but hold on, if you could see me this morning, why didn't you tell me not to go into work?"

"Crossing into established events is strictly forbidden. Except for cheap tricks."

"And that's your space ship?" Rocky asked, looking at it as he went closer to it.

"It's called the TARDIS," he said "Time and Relative Dimension in Space."

"Your spaceship's made of wood," Rocky said as he knocked on the outside of it "there's not much room. We'd all be a bit.. intimate."

Ross kicked the door open "Take a look."

Rocky walked into the TARDIS, leaving Laura outside waiting with Ross following him. Rocky looked around, his mouth fell open realising how big it was before running back out "Oh, no, no!" Rocky said rubbing his head as he was back out in the alleyway "My head hurts."

Laura then stepped inside seeing the same thing before running back out and looking around the outside "But.. it's just a box. But it's huge! How does it do that?! it's wood!" Laura knocked on it "it's like a box with that room just rammed in. It's bigger on the inside."

"It's bigger on the inside," Ross mouthed along with Laura as she said it "is it?" Ross asked "I hadn't noticed?" He said sarcastically as Rocky and Laura came back inside and he shut the door behind them "your friend Rydel freaked out a little bit more than you, Rocky. I'm surprised."

"Wait, how did Rydel travel in this?"

"When she disappeared from her wedding into gold dust? She ended up in here. Anyway, it's a long story," He said going over to the console "I'll find time later to tell you. Anyway, lets get going."

"But is there a crew?" Laura asked, twisting and turning her head looking at everything around her "like a navigator and stuff? Where is everyone?"

"Just me."

"All on your own?" Rocky asked.

"Well, sometimes I have guests and friends," Ross said "I mean, some friends travelling. Along side. I had - there was recently a friend of mine, Ratliff, even though you already know kinda that story. Like I said, I'll find time later to tell you all about that as well."

"Where is he now?" Laura asked, leaning against the console.

"With his family and friend Ryan, technically he is family he could be his other brother, but ya know. genetics and stuff. But he's... not exactly happy about being where he is now... last time I saw him. But he's fine, like I said.. find time later to tell you that story. NOT that your both replacing him!"

"Never said we were.."

Ross nodded "Just one, two or three trips to say 'thanks', you both get them trips, then back home. I'd rather be on my own."

"You're the one that kissed us." Rocky sang.

"That was a genetic transfer."

"And if you will wear a tight suit..." Rocky went on.

"Now.. don't."

Rocky continued "And then travel all the way across the universe just to ask us both on a date-"

"Stop it." Ross cut him off.

"I'm not interested," Rocky shook his head "I'm straight, thanks and I only go for humans."

"Good," Ross smiled "well then. Close down the gravitic anomalizer. Fire up the helmic regulator. And finally - the hand brake. Ready?"

"No." Laura said.

"Off we go." He pulled the hand brake.

The TARDIS then started to jolt and shake, making them all fall. "Jesus Christ! This is a bit bumpy!" Laura said as she held on.

"Welcome aboard, Miss Marano."

"My pleasure, Mr Lynch." Laura said back with a smile.

"Last time, not called Lynch."

"Sorry, forgot.." Laura said "it's Ross Ratliff isn't it?"

At that point Ross's face fell straight giving her a serious, unamused look.

"Sorry." She apologised.

**Next Time: **The Kindness Of Strangers

**Then:** Dalek's In Manhattan (2 Parts)  
Evolution Of The Dalek's (2 Parts)

**Later: **Utopia (2 Parts)  
The Sound Of Drums (2 Parts)  
Last Of The Time Lords (2 or 3 Parts)

**After: **Partners In Crime (2 Parts) (**The Start Of Rydel's Era)**

* * *

**There's no trailer for "The Kindness Of Strangers" but I'm working on the "Dalek's In Manhattan" and "Evolution Of The Dalek's" ones so they'll be up shortly :) **

**6 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE**


	22. The Kindness Of Strangers

**_The Kindness Of Strangers_**

Rocky, Ross and Laura all walked along the alleyway of New, New York. They weren't even going to go over what had just happened to them. This was their second trip they were on together, the first trip they ended up where Shakespeare was and met him which was great, a witch nearly killed Rocky by making his heart stop but hey-ho they managed to save him. You know, up until the witch tried to do the same to Ross, but it failed and then he said Ratliff's name to try kill him.. that resulted in a big mistake as Laura witnessed that unfold.

BIG mistake.

Though what happened today, Laura realised they were in the future New York called 'New, New York' that was run by.. cats. Actual human cats and then she finds out Ross took Ratliff here which she thought was a little bit strange, but she didn't say anything about it. After all, she did only just return from being kidnapped. Apparently, they had to jump through the motorway on the flying cars that weren't moving, meaning Rocky and Ross could of died trying to save her.

That would of been a disaster if they'd of died. She wouldn't of been able to get back home.

Another interesting thing that happened, they met the Face Of Boe who told Ross a couple of things that Laura was still wondering about. So as Rocky and Ross strolled away, Laura stayed put where she was "What did he mean, The Face Of Boe?" Laura asked. Ross stopped where he was and turned around, along with Rocky "he said 'You're not alone'."

"I don't know." Ross shrugged. How was he suppose to know? The Face Of Boe's gone now, he could of told Ross everything that was suppose to happen to him. Heck, he could of told him when he dies. But, he knows that's not for a long while yet.

Laura stepped forwards to him, smiling "You've got me and Rocky. Is that what he meant?" She asked.

Ross shook his head, the edges of his mouth twitching as if he was trying not to laugh. It was terrible. "Don't think so. Sorry."

"Fine, be that way." Rocky mumbled under his breath.

"Then, if it doesn't mean that... what does it mean?" Laura asked.

"Doesn't matter," Ross turned around and started making his way towards the TARDIS "c'mon. Off we go." as Ross turned away and headed off to the TARDIS, Laura grabbed a fallen chair that was next her and pulled it up, sitting primly and folding her arms. Rocky just stood right in the middle of them both, looking from Laura and to Ross several times. Ross heard different movement from behind him rather than footsteps, he turned around seeing Rocky who looked like he didn't know what to do and Laura sat down on the chairs "You staying?" Ross asked, looking at Laura.

"Until you start talking to me properly," She said "yes. He said 'last of your kind'. What does that mean?"

Ross tried to appear flippant, maybe too hard "It really doesn't matter."

"You don't talk. You never say! Why not?"

Ross looked at Laura directly, starting to speak making it obvious it wasn't easy for him to talk about this "I lied to you, cause I liked it. I could pretend. Just for a bit, I could imagine they were still alive, underneath a burnt orange sky..." He said, no going on to tell Laura and Rocky everything. His planet. His old life. Maybe not Ratliff. Now, that definitely is something he doesn't feel like talking about just yet to anyone.

Laura looked shocked, in fact she was shocked. She even felt sad for him. Rocky looked at Ross starting to listen to the story as he picked up a near by chair off the floor and sat down on it next to Laura. Ross went on telling the story "I'm not just a Time Lord. I'm the last of the Time Lords. The Face of Boe was wrong. There's no one else."

Laura shook her head slightly, now starting to feel a little bit bad for how she acted "What happened?" She asked.

Ross stood for a moment, looking down at Rocky and Laura, before deciding to grab his own chair so he could sit across from them both. "There was a war," he continued after sitting down "a Time War. The last Great Time War. My people fought a race called the Dalek's, for the sake of all creation. And they lost. They lost. Everyone lost. They're all gone now. My family, my friends, even that sky. Oh, you should have seen it, that old planet. The second sun would rise in the south, and the mountains would shine. The leaves on the trees were silver, and when they caught the light every morning, it looked like a forest on fire..."

As Ross continued on explaining that story, Rocky's eyes diverted from him and down the alleyway where he saw a old women with some kind of hood hanging over her head, limping. Looking straight at him. It was like she was trying to hypnotise him for something as she stopped. Like she didn't want to go over herself. She didn't. So she decided she would use Rocky's body instead, rather than her own.

Ross continued on telling Laura the story when he was getting distracted by a certain knocking sound coming from one of the chairs. It was a certain pattern, just four beats at a time that's all it was. He looked and saw it was Rocky knocking on the wood of the chair, staring off into the distance. Ross continued on with the story anyway, looking back at Laura "When the autumn came, the breeze would blow through the branches like a-" he tried to continue but Rocky's knocking just kept on getting louder and louder "like a song..."

Eventually Ross got fed up and grabbed Rocky's arm "Dude, have you got a song stuck in your head or something?" Ross asked.

But that didn't stop him. With Rocky's free hand he started to tap with his other hands "He's coming." Rocky said, still looking over at the old woman who was still looking over directly at him.

"Who's coming?" Ross looked in the direction Rocky was looking at where his eyes landed on the same old woman Rocky was looking at. Even though it was no danger to Rocky himself, his eyes still widened in horror realising what that woman was and what she was doing. To be honest, he didn't want to know the future. This sometimes happened, you'd find the odd man or woman walking the streets who could see what has been, everything that has been, everything that is going to be and everything that could be. But for some odd reason they always use other people's body's to do it rather than their own.

Though, these people never pop out of nowhere on purpose. They only come if they feel like it's really important that the perso knew, you know.. try to prevent it from happening. Or to give them to something to look forward too in their like.

In most cases it's both.

He looked back at Rocky "Rocky, come one. Come back to us," he said slapping his cheeks "c'mon. Fight her."

"Is she killing him?" Laura asked, standing up panicked.

"No," Ross shook his head "it's completely harmless, but what she's trying to tell me through him I'd rather not know!"

"No matter where you are or where you go, he's always there and you don't even know it," Rocky continued to speak on behalf of the woman continuing to knock four times, not that he had much choice in the matter. Chances are he won't even remember this "he's coming and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Who?" Laura asked "who is?"

"The end is coming." And this time, it actually came out of the old woman's voice rather than Rocky's. She was done using Rocky for now.

Laura went up to Rocky and slapped his face a couple of times before he snapped back into reality, she held onto him cause it looked like he was gonna collapse and keel over. "In fact, they're all coming." The woman continued.

"Yeah, but who? What end?" Ross asked "I mean, I've heard of you guys before.. I just didn't know how confusing you are when you speak. Can you just tell me who?"

"When he comes back he'll be the reason for the end."

Ross sighed with relief "Well, that rules THAT person off my list," Ross said with a smile, his smile then dropped "wait.. end. What end. What are you talking about?"

"You'll see soon."

"Well, I wanna see and know now."

"If it were up to me, I would tell you more. But it's not. I've told you enough, now I must be on my way." She turned around and went to go leave when Ross grabbed her by the arm.

"Then tell me a little bit more."

The old woman smiled, putting her hand on Ross's hand "He'll find a way back one day. I promise that." She then let go of Ross's grip and limped off into the distance.

"Does she wanna make up her mind?" Laura asked "first she says 'he's coming back and he'll be the cause of the end' and then she's smiling and all rainbows saying 'he'll find a way back, I promise'. Like what? Is this suppose to be a good or bad thing?"

Ross shrugged, waiting till the old woman disappeared into the distance before turning around and facing Laura and Rocky, who was out like a light on the chair due to what the old woman had just done to him. Ross walked over to him "C'mon, we better get him back into the TARDIS and get going." Ross lifted Rocky up off the chair whilst Laura made her way over to the doors of the TARDIS, opening them so Ross could walk through. She shut them behind them both.

A while later, in the TARDIS, Ross and Laura were both sat at the console whilst Rocky was elsewhere in the TARDIS still passed out from earlier. He should be awake soon, if not then there is a slight chance that he might be dead. Though, Ross doesn't wanna worry Laura with that. Cause if Rocky dies, that means he has to answer to Laura as well as his family and friends. And his friends mean Rydel Lynch. He really doesn't want to answer to Rydel.

He's still finding it hard to believe that her and Rocky are friends. What are the chances of that? That's just... odd. Weird, strange in fact. As Ross was getting lost in thoughts Laura started speaking "So, I know it's a delicate subject for you," Laura said, looking at Ross and making herself comfy on the chair by the console as if it was her own "but, you promised me one day you'd tell me about this Ratliff friend of yours."

Ross sighed, looking down with a frown as he sat on the chair by Laura. He knew this was going to come round sooner or later, right? He looked at Laura "From the beginning or...?" Ross asked. Laura nodded. "It's a funny story. How we met.. Dalek's. Always the freaking Dalek's. There was one left, and it was on Earth back where you live," He started to explain "he touched it. I found him in the alleyway and he was trying to figure out what it was, but then it went to go kill him so I pushed him to the floor, took his hand and ran with him until we were safe. Then I left him. The Dalek escaped. Up until later that night when I saw Ratliff again in some club with my friend Riker who I also use to travel with before Ratliff," He saw the look Laura was giving him "Riker's like my brother, so don't start!"

"Didn't say anything."

"Anyway," Ross shook his head, continuing to go on "I left out the back with Riker because he had a gun that killed a Dalek. Riker had ended up doing some sort of disappearing act afterwards to try find me because I'd gone to go lour the Dalek so Riker could shoot it. Lucky for me Ratliff had followed and picked up the gun, he panicked - a very lucky panic - and shot the Dalek killing it dead. That night began the very long journey we had together. It was also the night Riker decided he didn't want to travel any more. Not because he was tired, but because he felt like it was someone else's time. So Ratliff decided to come along. Our first journey together, we ended up going back to King Arthur times. We only met Merlin and Morgana, but boy was it worth it! Even though.. you know.. Ratliff did become heavily possessed by an evil spirit. I saved him though luckily. After that, I took him home cause he didn't want to stay cause he had a girlfriend and a little sister. Needless to say when we got back his girlfriend broke up with him, then he decided to come with me."

"Leaving his little sister on her own?"

Ross shook his head "Not exactly. She was okay, she could fen for herself," He said "trust. If you knew Ratliff, you'd of known he wouldn't of left Jenna on her own if he didn't think she was capable of looking after herself," Laura nodded, returning to smile as Ross continued on telling the story "after that the three of us came here, to New, New York where we met the Face Of Boe. Yet again, Ratliff got possessed by some skin person.. that's another thing, but I'll continue on with the story. We went to Scotland, where we became Queen Victoria's enemies, then the three of us met my old friend Maia back in regular time at this school," He laughed "oh that was great. I loved it. After that we ended up in France with Madam De Pompadour. That one took forever though.. we ended up becoming part of events and couldn't stop what happened. That was another good one because I thought I wasn't going to get back to Ratliff and Ryan," then he frowned "a-after that we ended up in this place called the Crystal Cave.. it told you the future. It showed us meeting Ratliff's dead brother in a parallel world.. that happened. And Ryan heard Ratliff screaming like death was coming at him and me shouting his name at the same time as if I was unable to do anything about it..."

"Did that happened?" Laura asked, seeing now Ross was just completely staring out in some sort of trance.

"Yeah..." He said, it coming out like a whisper "after we were at the Crystal Cave we ended up in a parallel world."

"What goes on in a parallel world?"

"Everyone has a parallel world," Ross said "even you. The choices you make and the actions you make, every time you make a choice or an action.. a parallel world is created of what would of happened if you done the other thing. We ended up in Ratliff's parallel world because in that parallel world his Mom was alive as well as his brothers, a different Ryan was there.. and he and Jenna were dead in that world. We found a way out though after thinking we killed the Cyber Men, but the Ryan in the parallel world had died so Ryan decided to stay there forever. Then it was just me and Ratliff on our own. We went on a couple adventures together after that.. we got trapped in space. Ratliff was told he was gonna die in battle by some beast. AKA Satan," Ross let out a scoff, more like he was mocking himself "I told him not to believe it cause he lied.. he didn't. He did indeed die in battle. Except.. he's not dead. He's just trapped in a parallel world forever. To the world you live in, he's dead. No more Ellington Lee Ratliff in your world. This is why these Dalek creatures are not good. But, before Ratliff ended up in that parallel world.. he saved the world. The Dalek's are gone forever now. They're never coming back. That's a good thing."

"You really hate those Dalek's don't you? I can understand because of the Time War like you just explained."

"It's not just that."

"What?"

"Every time they come back, every time they're around... I always lose something or _someone_ important to me without fail."

* * *

**Okay, so the trailer for the next chapter is up RIGHT at the top of my FF profile there's a link :) **

**PLEASE WATCH IT. I put it as "Dalek's In Manhattan Trailer" and the link next to it to YouTube! :D So watch! :)**

**5 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**


	23. Dalek's In Manhattan: Hooverville

_**I know I only got 4 reviews, but when I write chapters like the last one I'll update afterwards anyway. But most of the time I won't. Because SERIOUSLY there's 10 people following the story & 11 people favouriting it. Seriously? Why can't you review for the story? Are you incapable? Fair enough, if your hardly on.. I'll accept that and you have something going on so you can't get on to review.. Fine with me, don't care. BUt when you can review. Seriously. You know reviews actually make author's on FanFiction make them feel like they're ACTUALLY doing a good job with what they write on it. Not bc they're thirsty for reviews, and I'm sure they're not and neither am I, but when you review it actually makes them feel like they're doing something good for once with their stories.**_

_**And I SWEAR to god, if you DON'T review this chapter because you never read it because it's "Too Long" I guess I'll just go back to writing 500 words or 1,000 words, make them short chapters like I use to when I first started on FanFiction. Huh? How bout that?**_

_***takes a deep breath***_

_**Rant over.**_

_**Anyway, time for you guys to scream and cry over this chapter (y)**_

* * *

_**Dalek's In Manhattan: Hooverville**_

After Rocky had finally woke up from being possessed by that woman, Ross decided on a place to go. He couldn't quite decide until New York City came up. He didn't know what, but something was just pulling him to go there. So, what the hell. He sent the TARDIS there. Besides, after visiting New, New York too many times he thinks it was time to visit the real New York, as he thinks he's forgetting how the real one looked.

The TARDIS materialised on Ellis island. When Rocky, Laura and Ross stepped out of it, they were facing a white stone wall. Laura stepped out first, followed by the two boys "Where are we?" Laura asked, only seeing a white wall with a patch of grass and nothing else. "Ah," Ross said as he stepped out after Rocky "smell that Atlantic breeze! Nice and cold. Lovely. Laura, Rocky, have you met my friend?"

The three of them looked up to where they saw the Statue of Liberty. Laura's eyes widened with delight as she smiled "Oh my god! Is that-? That's the Statue Of Liberty!"

"This is so brilliant," Rocky said as he twisted and turned his head looking around over the edge of the island. They all walked to the edge of the island and looked over the city at the view of Manhattan Skyline "I've always wanted to go to New York," He said as he folded his arms "so.. are we after 9/11, cause I ain't seeing no World Trade Centre- and for the love of god, what EVER you do, PLEASE don't - whatever you do - do NOT, I repeat, NOT bring us back in time to 9/11."

"Wasn't planning on it," Ross said, as he looked at Rocky. He then looked back over at the skyline "No, if you look properly..." He pointed over to the Empire State Building "the Empire State Building's not even finished yet, and that means we got a long time to go before any of that 9/11 stuff happens so don't crap yourself. The building's a work in progress. Still got a couple of floors to go, and if I know my history, that makes the date somewhere around-"

"November 1st, 1930." Laura said as she picked up a nearby newspaper off the floor next to her.

Ross smiled over at her "Oh, you're getting good at this!"

"Eighty years ago," Laura said, Ross taking the paper from her "it's funny cause you see all those old newsreels in black and white like it's so far away, but here we are. It's real. It's now," She laughed and looked at Ross "come on then, where are we going first?" She asked.

Ross showed them both the headline of the newspaper "I think our detour just got a little longer."

* * *

Laura read the magazine as Ross was still holding it and they walked through Central Park with him and Rocky as she done so "'Hooverville Mystery Deepens'. What's Hooverville?" Laura asked.

"Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the USA, came to power a year ago. Up till then New York was a boom town, the Roaring Twenties, and then..."

"The Wall Street Crash?" Rocky asked, cutting Ross off from explaining. "when was that? 1929?"

Ross nodded "Yeah. Whole economy wiped out overnight. Thousands of people unemployed. Suddenly the huddled masses doubled in numbers with nowhere to go. So they ended up here in Central Park."

"What?" Laura asked, shocked "they actually live in the park? In the middle of the day?"

At that moment, the three of them arrived at Hooverville where they could see a collection of quickly put together shacks and tents for people and families to live in, along with random fires in barrels that were placed throughout.

"Ordinary people. Lost their jobs. Couldn't pay the rent and they lost everything. There are places like this all over America," Ross said as they all looked at the shacks and random people they passed by "you only come to Hooverville when there's nowhere else to go."

That's when they heard shouting coming from another part of Hooverville. They all looked over and followed where the shouting was coming from, from where two men were fighting with one another. Other residents wandered over to the same place to see what was going on just as Ross, Rocky and Laura arrived with them.

"Now think real careful before you lie to me." A man, called Solomon, said to the two men who were fighting that he managed to get separated.

"I'm starvin' Solomon."

Solomon held out his hand to the man where he then reached under his coat and pulled out a long piece of bread, handing it over to Solomon "We're all starvin'," Solomon then broke the bread in half "we all got families somewhere," he then handed each man a half of the bread "no stealin' and no fightin'. You know the rules. Thirteen years ago I fought in the Great War. A lot of us did. And the only reason we got through was because we stuck together! No matter how bad things get, we still act like human beings. It's all we got." the two men who were fighting turned away from each other and walked off, leaving.

Ross nodded to Rocky and Laura, telling them to follow him as he walked over to Solomon "I guess that makes you the boss around here."

Solomon looked at Ross, looking him up and down, the same as Rocky and Laura "And, uh, who might you be?"

"He's Ross," Laura said "I'm Laura and he's Rocky."

Rocky looked around at everyone who seemed to be getting on with their day to day lives, he looked back at Solomon "How many people live here?" He asked.

"At any one time, hundreds. No place else to go. But I will say this about Hooverville. We are a truly equal society, black, white, all the same. All starving," he then laughed "so you're welcome. All three of you. But tell me, Ross, you look like a man of learning, right? Explain this to me," he then pointed all the way over to the Empire State Building, that was currently being constructed "that there's going to be the tallest building in the world. How come they can do that, and we got people starving in the heart of Manhattan?"

* * *

Ross, Rocky and Laura approached up to Solomon as he was throwing coffee dregs into the fire "So..." Ross started as they stood beside him at the fire "men are going missing. Is this true?" He asked, holding up the newspaper.

Solomon took the newspaper off of Ross and looked at it for himself "It's true all right." He then disappeared inside of his tent.

Ross stood at the opening of the tent, looking in at Solomon with Rocky and Laura "But what does missing mean? Men must come and go here all the time. It's not like anyone's keeping a register."

Solomon sat down on a chair that was inside his tent, gesturing for the three of them to come in and sit down. They done so, shutting the opening of the tent behind them. "This is different." Solomon said, referring to the men going missing.

"In what way?" Rocky asked.

"Someone takes them," Solomon said simply "at night. We hear something. Someone calls out for help. By the time we get there, they're gone. Like they vanish into thin air."

"And you're sure someone's taking them?" Ross asked.

"Ross, when you got next to nothing, you hold on to the little you got. Your knife, blanket, you take it with you. You don't leave bread uneaten, fire still burning."

"Have you been to the police?" Laura asked.

Solomon nodded "Yeah, we tried that. Another deadbeat goes missing," He said "big deal." He shrugged.

"So, the question is, who's taking them and what for?" Ross asked.

A young man with blonde/brown hair, called Frank, stuck his head inside of the tent "Solomon," Frank said "Mr Diagoras is here."

All give of them walked outside of the tent to where Mr Diagoras was talking to all the men of Hooverville to try get them to 'work' for him, even though he knew what was really going to happen to them and WHO by "I need men. Volunteers. I got a little work for you and you sure look like you can use the money."

"Yeah. What is the money?" Frank asked.

"A dollar a day." Mr Diagoras said, causing all the men to grumble.

"What's the work?" Solomon asked.

"A little trip down the sewers. Got a tunnel that collapsed needs clearing and fixing. Any takers?"

"A dollar a day?" Solomon questioned "that's slave wage. Men don't always come back up, do they?"

"Accidents happen."

Ross gave Mr Diagoras a puzzled look as he stepped forward "What do you mean? What sort of accidents?" Ross asked.

"You don't need the work?" Mr Diagoras questioned looking down at the blonde boy "that's fine," he looked over the rest of the men "anybody else?" HE asked, Ross then raised his hand and Mr Diagoras just rolled his eyes "enough with the questions."

"Oh, n-n-no... I'm volunteering."

Rocky then raised his hand also. Laura sighed, shutting her eyes slightly which meant she had to raise her arm too "I'll kill you both for this.." She muttered to them.

Seeing that Rocky, Laura and Ross had raised their hands, Frank and Solomon done the same.

* * *

A while later, the five of them found themselves being guided down into the sewers by Mr Diagoras, which, if they were honest, they didn't like the look of one bit. God knows what was down here that was going to make them have an 'accident'.

"Turn Left," Mr Diagoras said as he was hanging off the ladders, telling them directions of where to go for the 'collapsed' sewer "go about half a mile. Follow tunnel 273. Fall's right ahead of you. You can't miss it." He explained.

Frank looked up at Mr Diagoras, with an untrusting look upon his face "And when do we get our dollar?"

"When you come back up."

Ross also looked up at Mr Diagoras the same as Frank "And if we don't come back up?"

"Then I got no one to pay."

"We'll be back." Solomon said with some sort of confidence.

"Let's hope." Laura mumbled.

Rocky, Laura, Frank and Solomon started up the tunnel of the sewer whilst Ross stared at Mr Diagoras as he went back up to the surface and sealing the exit. He then turned around and joined the four of them soon after.

"We just gotta stick together," Frank said as they walked down the sewer holding torches and shining them at their every move "it's easy to get lost. It's like a huge rabbit warren. You could hide with an army down here."

Laura walked over to Frank so she was close to him whilst the others fell behind just a little bit, not by much. Like Frank said, they had to stick together otherwise they'd be screwed "What about you Frank?" Laura asked, starting to make conversation "you're not from around these parts, are you?" She asked, referring to the Southern American accent he had. She was guessing Kansas or somewhere like that.

Frank looked at Laura with a smile and scoffed "Oh, you could talk. No, no, I'm from Tennessee, born and bred."

She was close enough right? "So how come you're here?"

"Uh, my daddy died," He started to explain "Mamma.. couldn't afford to feed us all. So, I'm the oldest, up to me to feed myself, so put on my coat, hitched up here on the railroads. There's a whole lot of runaways in camp younger than me. From all over; Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas... Solomon keeps a lookout for us. So, what about you? You're a long way from home."

"Yeah," Laura nodded "I'm just a hitcher too."

"You stick with me, you'll be alright."

"So, this Diagoras guy?" Rocky asked "who is he?"

"A couple of months ago, he was just another foreman. Now it seems like he's running most of Manhattan." Solomon told both Ross and Rocky.

Ross looked at Solomon "How'd he manage that?"

Solomon shrugged "These are strange times. A man can go from being King of the Hill to the lowest of the low overnight. It's just for some folks it works the other way round."

Rocky went to go say something when he saw something on the floor, he immediately stopped when he nearly walked into it "Whoa!"

Everyone looked to where Rocky was where they saw a blob lying on the ground that was giving off a sick green light. Laura walked towards the blob "It is radioactive or something?" Laura asked. Ross set down his torch on the ground and crouched beside it whilst Laura threw her hand to her nose and mouth to cover it "Whatever it is, it's gone off." She said, sounding like she was gonna throw up. And with that, Ross carefully picked it up into his hands. Laura slouched her hands by her side, giving him a 'I-can't-believe-you-just-did-that' look "And you've got to pick it up."

Ross put his face a little closer to the blob and sniffed it "Shine your torch through it," Ross said standing up, Laura done so "composite organic matter. Laura? Rocky? Medical opinion."

"It's not human. I know that." Rocky said as he took a look at it.

Solomon and Frank looked on at the blob, puzzled. "No, it's not," Ross said "and I'll tell you something else. We must be at least half a mile in and I don't see any sign of a collapse, do you? So why did Mr Diagoras send us down here?"

"So, where are we now?" Laura asked "what's above us?"

"Well.. we're right underneath Manhattan."

For the past five minutes they had continued walking through the sewers for this 'collapse' and there was nothing. Everything was completely fine. Right now they'd found themselves at a cross-road in the sewer "We're way beyond half a mile. There's no collapse, nothing." Solomon said, shining around the torch.

"That Diagoras guy, was he lying?" Laura asked.

"looks like it." Ross said.

"So why did he want people to come down here?" Frank asked confused. He knew he didn't trust Mr Diagoras.

Ross looked down the other end of the tunnel "Solomon, I think it's time you took these three back," Ross said "I'll be much quicker on my own."

Before anybody could protest, they all heard a squealing noise - almost like a pig squeal - echo through the tunnel. "What the hell was that?" Solomon asked.

"Hello?!" Frank called loudly so it echoed, only to be shushed by Rocky. Frank turned and faced Rocky as well as Solomon "what if it's one of the missing folk? You'd be scared, half-mad down here on your own."

"Do you think they're still alive?" Ross asked.

Frank shrugged "I don't know, we haven't seen no bodies down here. Maybe they just got lost."

More squealing sound was the heard echoing through the tunnel, making them all jump. "I know I never heard nobody make a sound like that..." Solomon said.

Ross started to walk a little ahead of the rest of them. "Sounds like there's more than one of them." Frank said.

"This way." Ross gestured for them all to follow him. But they didn't they just stayed put. Solomon shone his light down another tunnel "No, this way." Solomon said. That's when Solomon's light on his torch caught a huddled figure on the ground.

Laura slowly looked over to Ross with fear "Ross..." Laura quietly spoke. Ross walked over and rejoined them all.

"Who are you?" Solomon asked to the huddled figure.

Frank slowly stepped forward, not moving anymore "Are you lost? Can you understand me?" Frank asked "I've been thinkin' about folk lost.." He went to go walk further, but Ross stopped him.

Ross kept his hand on Frank's shoulder and put him back near Solomon "It's alright, Frank. Just stay back. Let me have a look," Ross then walked over to the figure on the floor "he's got a point, though, my friend Frank. I'd hate to be stuck down here on my own," Ross said, but he squealed like a pig making Ross realise whatever it is must be some kind of creature "we know the way out. Daylight. If you want to come with us," Ross squatted on the floor and shone his torch onto the man's face. Only he wasn't a man. He was human... but with a pigs face. He was a pig-man "oh, but what are you?" Ross asked.

"Is, uh, that some kind of carnival mask?" Solomon asked.

"No, it's real," Ross said, then returning to speak to the pig man "I'm sorry. Now listen to me. I promise I can help," shadows started to fall on the wall, but Ross failed to notice them "now, who did this to you?"

Rocky looked over as he saw the shadows starting to fall on the wall "Ross, I think you'd better get back here." Rocky said. All of them watched as more pig-men filled the opposite end of the tunnel "Ross!"

Ross then stood up almost straight away looking at the pig men "Actually... good point." He backed away towards the others.

"They're following you..." Laura said as the pig-men started coming in their direction.

"Yeah, I noticed that, thanks," Ross said almost sarcastically as he finally reached the four of them "well then, Laura, Rocky, Frank, Solomon.."

"Um, basically.." Ross paused as the pig-men were getting closer "RUN!"

All of them turned around and raced down through the tunnels as fast as they could until they came back to the cross-section, where Laura stopped in confusion seeing all the possible turns that would probably lead the wrong way. She didn't know what one they came out of and that's what scared her more "Where are we going?!" Laura asked.

"This way!" Ross turned right, along with the others, and the pig-men just kept on chasing them as fast as they could.

Ross stopped running at the mouth of a joining tunnel "There's a ladder!" He called. Ross practically jumped onto the ladder and climbed up, using the sonic screwdriver to on the lid to open it. Laura followed up the ladders, then Rocky and then Solomon. But, Solomon hesitated going up the ladder when he saw Frank pick up a metal rod to try hold off the pig-men "Frank!" Solomon called as he climbed the ladder.

When Frank saw that the others were safe, he ran for the ladder and started climbing, with Ross, Rocky and Solomon reaching down their hands to help him climb faster once he was in their reach. But, he wasn't quite in their reach yet "C'mon, Frank! C'mon!" Solomon yelled.

Ross latched onto Frank's hand as he was at the edge of the exit of the sewer to pull him up and out "I got you! C'mon!" Ross said, beginning to pull him up with the help of Solomon and Rocky.

Unfortunately, the pig-men all huddled at the bottom of the ladders and grabbed Frank's legs, pulling him out of Ross, Rocky and Solomon's grip and he went down into the huddle of the pig-men. "FRANK!" Rocky and Solomon both shouted. "NO!" Ross shouted at the same time as he tried to grab him again when he fell.

Solomon shoved both Ross and Rocky out of the way and closed the lid, seeing that one of the pig-men were starting to limb up. He sat on top of the lid "We can't go after him!" Solomon said, even though he wanted nothing more to go get him back. But it was more than likely he was dead.

"We gotta go back down! We can't just leave him!" Ross started to raise hi voice.

"No, I'm not losing anybody else! Those creatures were from Hell! From Hell itself!" Solomon started yelling at Ross, not noticing that someone was coming towards the four of them with a gun "if we go after them, they'll take us all! There's nothing we can do, I'm sorry."

All of a sudden, a petite blonde girl around Laura's height popped out from behind a shelf in the prop room, pointing a gun at them all "All right then. Put 'em up." She said. Laura immediately put her hands up when she saw the gun, the girl looked at Rocky, Ross and Solomon. She cocked up the gun "hands in the air and no funny business," the boys then put their hands up the same as Laura "now tell me, you schmucks, what've you done with Lazlo?"

"Uh, who's Lazlo?" Rocky asked.

* * *

The girl, Tallulah, still had her gun pointed at the four of them. But this time, they were in her dressing room backstage at some kind of performing dance theatre. "Lazlo's my boyfriend," Tallulah went on to explain "or was my boyfriend until two weeks ago. No letter, no goodbye, no nothin'. And I'm not stupid," she started to wave the gun as she spoke "I know some guys are just pigs but not my Lazlo. I mean, what kinda guy asks you to meet his mother before he vamooses?"

Ross stepped forward slightly "It might, might just help if you put that down..."

"Huh?" Tallulah asked. That was when she realised she had the gun in her hand still "oh, sure," she then tossed the gun to a chair in her room "oh, c'mon. It's not real. It's just a prop. It was either that or a spear."

"What do you think happened to Lazlo?" Laura asked.

"I wish I knew," Tallulah sighed sitting down on her chair "one minute he's there, the next, zip-vanished."

Ross nodded "Right, uh- what's your name?" Ross asked.

"Tallulah."

"Tallulah." Ross repeated.

"3 L's and an H."

"Right. Um, we can try to find Lazlo, but he's not the only one," Ross said "there are people disappearing every night."

"And there are creatures," Solomon added into the explanation "such creatures.

Tallulah leaned forward in curiosity "Whaddaya mean 'creatures'?"

"Look. Listen, just trust me. Everyone is in danger. I need to find out exactly what this is," He said as he removed the green blob from earlier out of his pocket "because then I'll know exactly what we're fighting."

Tallulah leant back when Ross but the green blob near her "Yech!"

* * *

A little while later, Ross found himself scavenging around the prop room for equipment. Solomon was there also when his eye caught a radio, so he picked it up and held it so Ross could see it "How about this?" He asked.

Ross looked up and took it from him "Perfect. It's the capacitors I need. I'm just rigging up a crude little DNA can for this beastie," He said, referring to the green blob "if I can get a chromosomal reading, I'll find out where it's from." Ross used the sonic on the radios inside and blew on it.

"How about you, Ross?" Solomon asked as he strolled up beside him "where are you from? I've been all over. I've never heard anybody talk like you. Just exactly who are you?"

Ross took out a piece from the radio and blew on it "Oh, I'm just sort of passing by."

"I'm not a fool Ross."

"No, sorry."

Solomon walked over to the lid that led down to the sewer and looked down it "I was so scared, Ross. I let them take Frank cause I was just too scared. I gotta get back to Hooverville. With these creatures on the loose, we gotta protect ourselves. Ain't no one else gonna help us."

"Good luck."

"I hope you find what you're looking for. For all our sakes." Solomon said to Ross before leaving.

Back in Tallulah's dressing room, Tallulah was in costume, putting on her costume for the performance whilst Rocky and Laura were just sat in a chair each, watching her. "Lazlo.." Tallulah went on to talk about him "he'd wait for me after the show, walk me home like I was a lady. He'd leave a flower for me on my dressing room table. Everyday, just a single rose."

Laura stood up from the couch and walked over beside her at the dressing room table "Haven't you reported him missing?" She asked.

"Sure," Tallulah said "he's just a stagehand. Who cares? The management certainly don't."

"Can't you kick up a fuss or something?" Rocky asked as he leant forward on the chair.

"Okay, so then they fire me."

"But they'd listen to you." Laura said.

"Yeah, your one of their stars." Rocky added in.

"Oh, honey," Tallulah started again "I got one stone in a back street revue and that's only because Heidi Chicane broke her ankle-which had nothin' to do with me whatever anybody says. I can't afford to make a fuss. If I don't make this month's rent, then before you know it, I'm in Hooverville."

Laura nodded "Okay, I get it."

"It's the Depression, sweetie. Your heart might break, but the show goes on and if it stops, you starve. Every night I have to go out there, sing, dance, keep goin'. Hoping he's gonna come back."

Just like that, Tallulah started breaking down so Laura hugged her "I'm sorry."

Tallulah pulled out of the hug Laura was giving her and wiped her eyes in the mirror "Hey, you're lucky, though. You got yourself a forward thinking guy with that hot blonde hair."

"Uh, he's not - we're not... together."

"Oh, sure you are," Tallulah smiled, tapping Laura's hand "I've seen the way you look at him. It's obvious."

Just like that, Rocky sunk into the chair he was sat in almost like he'd disappeared and it was only Laura and Tallulah in the room. This was new to him. Laura liked Ross? Seriously? Rocky's stupid, but he's not that stupid. If Laura wanted a chance with Ross, he knew straight away she wasn't going to get it because of the way Ross goes on and on about Ratliff all the time, basically dwelling onto what happened with him in Canary Wharf with the Dalek's. He was basically laughing now, not to make Laura feel bad or anything.. but because he knew there was going to be no Ross and Laura together  
whether to she liked it or not.

Another reason?

Because if Ratliff ever finds a way out of that Parallel World, which he more than likely won't, or if Ross finds him.. he knows they're not going to be fools this time and they're going to get together.

But, Ratliff's never coming back ever. Ross explained that to him and Laura, and maybe that's why Laura thinks she can have a chance with him. And why she acts like she hates Ratliff all the time when he gets mentioned by Ross, which Rocky thinks is way out of order. She doesn't need to be like that towards a guy she hasn't even met before in her life and owns the heart, well hearts, of the guy she likes.

Way out of order.

Sometimes Rocky wished he could just scream that to Laura without her getting offended and falling out with him. Because that was the problem with Laura Marano, she didn't like being told the truth. And the truth is that Ross is madly in love with Ratliff and Laura doesn't like that one bit.

So he just sat there, watching Tallulah and Laura as they talked about this little situation.

"Not to him." Laura said.

"Oh, I shoulda realised," Tallulah said turning to her in her chair "he's into musicals, huh? What a waste," Laura shook her head as Tallulah misunderstood. Tallulah just shrugged "Still, ya gotta live in hope. It's the only thing that's kept me going cause.." She then lifted up a white rose from the dressing room table "look. On my dressing room table every day still."

Laura took the rose from Tallulah into her own hands looking at it "You think it's Lazlo?" She asked.

"I don't know," Tallulah shrugged "if he's still around, why's he bein' all secret like he doesn't want me to see him?"

In the theatre, it was a little later near the show time and Ross was up in the balcony with the blob hooked up to his hand-made scanner thing he used to try track down whatever it was this green blob belonged too. And everything else that was strange going on.

What other kind of creature or human was capable of turning humans into pigs?

He set the beam of a stage light on the green blob "That's it. Let's warm you up."

A little while passed as he could see through the curtain Tallulah getting ready for the show and he looked back at the green blob "This is artificial.."

That's when the announcer started speaking through the speakers.

_"Ladies and Gentlemen.."_

"Genetically engineered," Ross said to himself as he continued to look at the blob "whoever this is, oh, you're clever..."

_"..with Heaven and Hell!"_

The curtains then opened on the stage where everyone could see the chorus girls dressed in red sequined dresses with tails and horns. As they parted, Tallulah appeared in a white sequined dress with wings and a halo where she sashayed over to the microphone and started singing.

From the wings of the stage, Rocky and Laura watched her as she performed. As the dance started through the song, Laura looked across the stage into the other wing where she saw a pig-man - only.. he wasn't a pig-man. Yes, he had the nose, teeth and ears but he was still human. He was stood standing on the other side of the wing, seemingly just watching. That's when it occurred to her.

Lazlo.

Without thinking, Laura just cut across the stage. "Laura what are you doing?!" Rocky asked, watching as she done so. That's when he saw the pig-man too. But he didn't move, he just stayed put. He wasn't cutting across the stage. He'd be noticed straight away.

As Laura crossed the stage, she hid behind the dancing girls so the audience couldn't see her. "What are you doing?" A chorus girl asked. Laura then just moved to the next girl where she accidentally grabbed her tail and caused her to fall over. Tallulah turned around as she dance and saw Laura "What are you doing?" She asked.

"You're on my tail! Get off my tail!" The chorus girl almost yelled at Laura.

Ross was still on the balcony with a stethoscope on the blob. He was just trying to see if he could figure out more of what it was. That's when it came to him "Fundamental DNA type 467-989," Ross took the stethoscope off it and looked down at it "989?" He questioned, then it hit him "wait a minute.. that means planet of origin.."

His face dropped in horror and disbelief came to his face "No.." he looked down at the blob "Skaro.. that means.. the Cult of... Oh, no, no, no, no!" He then turned around and rushed off from the balcony.

Now he knew EXACTLY what it was and it wasn't good.

"Get off the stage! Your spoilin' it!" Tallulah said to Laura as she kept on dancing.

"But look," Laura pointed over to the wings "over there!"

The pig-man then realised he'd been spotted and was startled before Tallulah screamed and he ran off. "Hey!" Laura called, running after him. Rocky then ran to try catch him from that side of the stage.

The pig-man just continued rushing through the halls whilst Laura continued to follow him close behind "Wait! You're different to the others! Just wait!"

In the prop room near by, Laura heard a clanging sound. But the pig man was gone.

Ross came bolting down the backstage hallway where he spotted Rocky and Tallulah together with the chorus girls "Where is she?! Where's Laura?!" Ross asked.

"I don't know. She ran off stage."

In the prop room, Laura entered it slowly to see what the clanging was besides from the obvious sewer lid that was open. That was when a second pig-man came up behind Laura and attacked her. Laura screamed as it grabbed hold of her.

Ross and Rocky heard Laura's scream from down the hall, they looked from where it came from and immediately ran to go try save her followed by Tallulah. They reached the prop room but realised Laura wasn't there anymore "Laura!" Rocky shouted. Ross and Rocky looked and noticed the sewer lid was off and open.

They both made for the entrance to the sewer. "Oh, where are you two goin'?" Tallulah asked.

"They've taken her." Ross said.

"Who's taken her?"

Rocky had already dropped down into the sewer and was then followed by Ross, landing right at the bottom of the sewer. Tallulah grabbed the nearest long coat she could find and put it over her costume and climbed down into the sewer along with the two boys. Ross turned his head when he saw her "No, no, no, no, no way. You're not coming!" Ross said pointing at her.

"Tell me what's going on." Tallulah almost demanded.

"There's nothing you can do. Go back!" Rocky said.

"Look, whoever's taken Laura, they could've taken Lazlo, couldn't they?"

"Tallulah, you're not safe down here."

"Then that's my problem," Tallulah said "come on. Which way?" She asked, walking down the tunnel to the left.

Ross sighed "This way!" He turned around and walked right down the tunnel, soon Tallulah and Rocky both followed.

Laura was being held by two pig-men as she was dragged down the sewer. She was petrified, she didn't want to turned into a pig "No! Let me go!" She screamed. They pushed her against a wall where more pig-men came by with humans in a line. She looked and her eyes widened when she saw Frank stood there in the line. "Laura?" Frank questioned when he saw her.

"You're alive!" She said before attacking him with a hug "I thought we'd lost you," a pig man then pushed the both of them to keep moving "alright! Alright, we're moving..."

"Wait.. where are they taking us?" Frank asked.

"I don't know, but we can find out what's going on down here."

In another tunnel, Ross, Rocky and Tallulah continued on their search to try and find Laura. And Tallulah just kept on talking and talking "When you say 'They've taken her', who's they exactly?" She asked "and who are you anyway? I never asked."

"Shh!" Ross hushed her as he could hear something in the distance coming. It wasn't footsteps.. it was more of a smooth gliding sound.

Uh-oh.

"Okay, okay."

"Shh!" Rocky shushed Tallulah a littler louder as now he heard the smooth gliding sound.

Ross looked down the tunnel into the weak light in front of them, and in the weak light of the tunnel he could see the shadow of a Dalek approaching. He knew it. "I mean," Tallulah continued "you're handsome and all-"

Ross pushed Rocky into a recess in the tunnel, which was a small hole in the wall they could all fit into to hide from the Dalek, whilst he put his hand over Tallulah's mouth and brought her into the recess too. They hide there silently as the Dalek passed by, one of the three brown ones. So that meant it was Dalek Thay, Jast or Caan. Dalek Sek must be somewhere else.

Once the Dalek was gone out of sight, Ross got out of the recess soon followed by Tallulah and Rocky "No, no, no, no, no, no, no..." He started saying horrified and terror and disbelief all in one "I was hoping I was wrong.." He said running his hand through his hair "They survived. They ALWAYS survive while I lose EVERYTHING."

"That metal thing?" Rocky asked, looking at Ross, even though he had an idea of what it was "what was it?"

"A Dalek," Ross said dropping his hand down to his sides, not taking his eyes off the place where the Dalek had just gone "and it's not just metal. It's alive."

Tallulah laughed "You're kidding me."

"Does it look like I'm kidding?" Ross asked, looking at Tallulah where she sobered. He looked back to where he was before "inside that shell is a creature born to hate, whose only thought is to destroy everything and everyone that isn't a Dalek too. It won't stop until it's killed every human being alive."

"But if it's not human, that kinda implies that it's from outer space," Tallulah said. She looked at Ross who looked like he was in some sort of sad, horrified trance "yet again, that's a 'no' with the kidding. Boy.. Well, what's it doin' here, in New York?"

Rocky looked to where Ross was looking, he then looked at Ross "Dalek's. You've mentioned them before. Canary Wharf battle with the Dalek's and Cybermen," Rocky said "that's where you lost Ratliff.. with them."

"That's what I meant by 'I lose everything'."

_**Next Time:**_ Dalek's In Manhattan: The Cult Of Skaro

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**And let the drama begin... Even though it already started. ;) **

**6 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**


	24. Dalek's In Manhattan: The Cult Of Skaro

**_Jesus christ, you have NO idea how hard it was trying to figure out which Dalek was who besides from Dalek Sek bc it said on the script for this episode I found. But as for Thay, Jast and Caan. Omg. I actually HAD to watch a clip from the episode "Doomsday" to listen to their voices and then a clip from "Dalek's In Manhattan" JUST to see which was which. Like.. I'm convinced I still haven't got them write towards the end when they're all together. _**

**_Anyway. Obviously I managed to do it cx Here you go! :)_**

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_**Dalek's In Manhattan: The Cult Of Skaro**_

Did it seem bad that there was something that was turning people into these pigs with a human form? Yes.

Is it even worse than Ross thought it would be? Yes.

Is it possible that this will probably end up in disaster? Oh yeah.

What were the Dalek's even doing in New York? What did they want? He them four Dalek's got sucked into the void at Canary Wharf.

Obviously not.

Those were the thoughts running through his mind after Dalek Thay, Jast or Caan, which ever one it was, had disappeared and he grabbed Tallulah by the arm and started dragging her down the tunnel back towards the entrance they'd came down "Every second you're down here, you're in danger," Ross said as he dragged Tallulah along with Rocky following behind "I'm taking you back right now."

The three of them turned a corner where they saw a pig-man, but it wasn't just any pig-man. It was the pig-man Rocky and Laura had saw backstage at the show. Tallulah screamed as soon as she saw it and the pig-man tried to hide. Ross let go of Tallulah's hand and approached the pig-man slowly and carefully, it was obvious the pig-man wasn't like the others as he wasn't trying to kill them, and he still had some features of a human face. The only thing pig about him was the mouth, teeth, ears and nose. Everything else was definitely human. "Where's Laura?" Ross asked "what have you done with her? What have you done with Laura?"

"I didn't take her." The pig-man spoke, still trying to hide from the three of them.

Ross became surprised at the fact he could talk instead of squeal "Do you remember your name?"

"Don't look at me."

Tallulah started to move forward towards the pig-man "Do you know where she is?"

"Stay back! Don't look at me!"

Ross managed to get closer to the pig-man and have a good look at him "What happened to you?"

"They made me a monster."

"Who did?"

"The masters."

"The Dalek's," Ross corrected him "why?"

"They needed slaves," The pig-man started to explain, still trying to hide his face from the three, Tallulah more than anything "they needed slaves to steal more people so they created us. Part animal, part human. I escaped before they got my mind, but it was still too late."

Rocky stepped forwards, going to where Ross was also "Do you know what happened to Laura?" Rocky asked.

"They took her. It's my fault. She was following me."

"Were you in the theatre?" Tallulah asked.

"Yes."

"Why? Why were you there?"

"I never wanted you to see me like this." He admitted.

"Why me? What do I gotta do with this?" Tallulah asked confused "were you following me? Is that why you were there?" She asked. The pig-man then turned and faced her "who are you?" Tallulah asked when she saw his face.

"I was lonely."

"Who are you?"

"I needed to see you. I'm sorry." He then turned around to go walk away but Tallulah stopped him.

Tallulah grabbed his arm "Let me look at you," She said. She placed the pig-man under the light that was peaking through the drains in the sewer so she could see him properly "Lazlo?" Tallulah asked seeing him, he nodded "my Lazlo?" She asked. Her voice broke "oh, what have they done to you?"

"I'm sorry. So sorry." Lazlo said.

"Lazlo," Ross said interrupting their little moment together "can you show me where they are?"

"They'll kill you."

"If I don't stop them, they'll kill everyone."

"Then follow me." Lazlo then started to lead the way.

In another tunnel, Laura, Frank and the other prisoners were being kept in a section of the tunnel by the pig-men. It was as if they were waiting for someone or something, and they really didn't like it one bit. "What are they keeping us here for?" Frank asked quietly.

Laura shrugged, keeping close to Frank "I don't know. I've got a nasty feeling that we're being kept in the larder."

Lazlo managed to lead Ross, Rocky and Tallulah through the tunnels and found where Frank and Laura were, but they couldn't move. They could only watch in the distance and hide from the pig-men. The last thing Ross needed was to be captured and one of the Dalek's to come along and recognise him.

The pig-men that were guarding the prisoners started squealing nervously which made Frank a little bit more scared than he already was before "What're they doing?" Frank asked "what's wrong? What's wrong?"

As he said that, a Dalek glided into the tunnel into everyone's sight, including Ross, Rocky, Lazlo and Tallulah's. "Silence. Silence." The Dalek spoke. It was Dalek Thay. Lazlo ducked back out of sight incase he was spotted.

Laura watched as Dalek Thay came into their sight, more strange creatures just kept on coming and coming didn't they? "What the hell is that?" Laura asked to herself and Frank looking at Dalek Thay.

Ross watched from the distance. "You will form a line. Move." Dalek Thay ordered.

The pig-men started to push everyone into a line. "Just do what it says, everyone, okay? Just obey!" Laura said as everyone started panicking about. She wasn't really up for being killed by this.. robot thing. Though.. it's appearance did match the description of a creature Ross told her about a while ago. She wasn't sure what.

"The female is wise," Dalek Thay said looking at Laura "obey!"

That was when a second Dalek, Dalek Caan, arrived coming round the corner "Report."

Dalek Thay turned and looked at Dalek Caan "These are strong specimens. They will help the Dalek cause."

Laura's eyes widened slightly as she looked down to the floor "Dalek..?" She said softly. Now she remembers Ross talking about them with the whole Canary Wharf thing. Yeah. She was as good as dead now along with everyone else.

"What is the status of the Final Experiment?" Dalek Thay asked.

"The Dalekanium is in place. The energy conductor is now completely." Dalek Caan told.

"Then I will extract prisoners for selection." Dalek Thay said as a pig-man brought an older man forward from the back, where Thay extended his sucker towards the man's face "Intelligence scan. Initiate. Reading brain waves. Low intelligence."

"You calling me stupid?" The man asked.

"This one will become a pig slave." And with that, two pig-men pulled the man away. Dalek Thay then moved to the next person in line "intelligence scan. Initiate."

Lazlo, Ross, Rocky and Tallulah all watched discretely round the corner at the Dalek's and everyone else "They're divided into two groups," Lazlo started to explain "high intelligence and low intelligence. The low intelligence are taken to become pig slaves like me."

"Well, that's not fair." Tallulah said, only to be shushed by Ross. Something she was getting a lot for coming down here with him.

"What about the others?" Rocky asked.

"They're taken to the laboratory." Lazlo said.

"By why? What for?" Ross asked.

"I don't know," Lazlo said "the masters only call it the Final...Experiment."

Dalek Thay started scanning Frank "Superior intelligence," Dalek Thay then turned to Laura ready to scan her "intelligence can. Initiate. Superior intelligence. This one will become part of the Final Experiment."

"You can't just experiment on people! It's insane! It's inhuman!" Laura yelled in fear at the Dalek as her voice broke at the end.

"We are not human. Prisoners of high intelligence will be taken to the transgenic laboratory."

"Look out they're moving!" Ross said as he flattened himself against the wall along with Rocky.

Lazlo took Tallulah and headed down the tunnel. Realising Ross and Rocky weren't following him, he turned around and faced them both "Ross, Rocky! Quickly!"

"I'm not going. I've got an idea. You three go!" Ross said.

"Hell no," Rocky said "I'm coming with you."

Lazlo turned around and faced Tallulah "Can you remember the way?" Lazlo asked.

"Yeah. I think so." She said.

"Then go. Please."

"But Lazlo, you gotta come with me.." Tallulah said, almost starting to beg.

"Where would I go?" Lazlo asked "Tallulah, I'm beggin you, save yourself. Just run. Just go. Go." with that, Tallulah left and Lazlo rejoined Ross and Rocky.

Dalek Thay and Caan passed by and once they were Ross and Rocky fell in the line Laura and Frank were in beside them whilst Lazlo acted like one of the guards. When Ross saw Laura go to say something he stopped her "Just keep walking." He said.

Laura sighed with relief "I'm so glad to see you."

"Yeah, well, you can kiss me later," Ross said, he then looked at Frank "you too, Frank, if you want."

Meanwhile, Tallulah just ran through the tunnels lost looking for the exit.

A while later all the prisoners, including Ross, Rocky, Laura and Frank along with Lazlo, were all brought into the Dalek lab where they were met with Dalek Jast who was by Dalek Sek. But, there was something wrong with Sek. He looked.. dead? There was no life in him what so ever, it was almost like the inside of him was doing something and it just.. killed him. Is that why Thay, Caan and Jast needed the humans?

"Report." Dalek Thay said as he went over to Jast.

"Dalek Sek is in the final stage of evolution." Dalek Jast said.

"Scan him. Prepare for birth."

"Evolution?" Ross questioned quietly. Evolution? As in.. evolving into something different?

That CAN'T be good.

Laura bent backwards a little bit so she could speak to Ross quietly "What's wrong with old Charlie boy over there?" Laura asked, referring to the black Dalek, Dalek Sek.

"Ask them."

"Don't be stupid."

"I don't exactly want to get noticed. Ask them what's going on."

Laura looked over to the Dalek's and took a deep breath, knowing this probably wasn't going to end good for her "Dalek's, I demand to be told. What is the Final Experiment? Report!"

Dalek Thay turned around in the direction of Laura "You will bare witness."

"To what?"

"This is the dawn of a new age."

"What does that mean?" Laura asked.

Dalek Thay went onto explain "We are the only four Dalek's so the species must evolve a life outside the shell. The Children of Skaro must walk again."

Suddenly, Dalek Sek's shell powered down and the casing around him started to open up to reveal something in the human form, but it wasn't human. The clothing it was wearing was unmistakably Mr Diagoras's clothes, so obviously they had used him for whatever they're planning on doing. It climbed out of the shell where everyone could see it clearly, it did have the body of a human. It's head was similar to a Dalek body with the mouth, one eye and tentacles, and it's hands were almost claw-like.

"What is it?" Laura asked frightened.

"I am a human Dalek. I am your future.." Dalek Sek spoke slowly.

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**Not much of a cliffhanger. In fact.. it's not even a cliffhanger AT all lol cx **

**NEW TRAILER for the next chapters up! :D PLEASE watch it! It's at the VERY top of my profile under "Evolution Of The Dalek's Trailer" :)**

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	25. Evolution Of The Dalek's: Human Dalek

**_Evolution Of The Dalek's: Human Dalek_**

Everyone who was in the room, minus the Dalek's and pig-men, stared on at Dalek Sek who was now human in horror and fear. He was human. Was this a good thing or a bad thing? Because, Dalek's don't have emotions. But humans do. So surely that means now that Sek is a human, he has emotions and will feel what every other human being feels. Right? Or are they just praying on some fantasy that's never going to happen.

Probably the second one.

Dalek Sek looked on at the human prisoners that were being held by the pig-men "These.. humans will become like me," Dalek said as Ross slipped away unnoticed by everyone behind some machinery that was in the laboratory "prepare them for hybridisation."

The pig slaves started to close on Laura, Frank, Rocky and the other prisoners to grab them "Leave me alone! Don't you dare!" Rocky raised his voice, moving back away from the pigs as they were about to touch him.

As that happened the song "Happy Days are Here Again" began to play from somewhere in the room. Everyone, including Sek and the Dalek's, stopped and turned their heads as they wondered where it was coming from. Though, Rocky and Laura had some sort of clue of WHO it was coming from. Dalek Sek turned his head "What is that sound?" He asked.

Ross then stepped out from behind some of the machinery with a radio in his hands so everyone could see him "That would be me," Ross said as he set the radio down on the table from where he walked out from. He walked slowly over, hands in pockets, in the space between Laura, Rocky and Frank and the Dalek's "hello. Surprise. Boo. Et cetera."

"Ross."

"The enemy of the Dalek's." Dalek Thay said.

"Exterminate." Dalek Caan also spoke.

"Wait..." Dalek Sek said, stopping the Dalek's from killing Ross. Which was very.. weird.

Why would a Dalek stop another Dalek from killing someone? Especially when that someone is their enemy and they've wanted dead for hundreds of years now. "Well, then," Ross said "a new form of Dalek," Ross walked forward to Sek "fascinating and very clever."

"The Cult of Skaro escaped your slaughter." Sek told Ross, referring back to Canary Wharf.

Ross was seriously starting to think about tallying up how many times Canary Wharf or something to do with Ratliff would pop up in his life lately. Cause, he's pretty sure it would add up to over a hundred by now. "How did you end up in 1930?" Ross asked.

"Emergency Temporal Shift."

Ross scoffed at Sek "Oh, that must have roasted up your power cells, yeah?" Ross then strode away, looking around at all the machinery "there was a time, when four Dalek's could have conquered the world but instead your skulking away, hidden in the dark, experimenting," Ross took a deep breath, going back over in front of Sek "all of which results in you."

"I am Dalek in human form."

"What does it feel like?" Ross asked, folding his arms "you can talk to me, Dalek Sek. It is Dalek Sek, isn't it? That's your name? You've got a name and a mind of your own. Tell me what you're thinking right now."

It took Dalek Sek a while to speak and to come up with something, he said it slowly "I.. feel.. humanity."

"Good," Ross nodded "that's good."

"I... feel.. everything we wanted from mankind, which is ambition, hatred, aggression and war," Sek continued to go on, as if knowing and feeling all this was too much for him to take in at once "such.. a genius war."

Ross shook his head "No, that's.. that's not what humanity means."

"I think it does. At heart, this species is so very.. Dalek."

Ross nodded, but at at Sek being correct about what he just said "Alright then, so what have you achieved then? With this Final Experiment, eh? Nothing! Cause I can show you what you're missing with this thing," he pointed at the radio "simple little radio." he patted the radio.

"What is the purpose of this device?" Dalek Caan asked.

"Well, exactly,"Ross said looking over at Caan "it plays music. What's the point of that? Oh, with music, you can dance to it, sing with it, fall in love to it," He said with a smile, it then faded as it was replaced with a cocky, sarcastic, obvious look "unless you're a Dalek of course. Then it's just noise."

Ross raised his arm and aimed the sonic screwdriver at the radio which caused a high pitch wail to emanate from it. Sek held his head in pain at the high pitch, it hurt and he felt like he was going to explode. How the hell do humans survive like this?! the other Dalek's just reacted erratically. Ross turned around to the prisoners and Rocky, Laura and Frank "RUN!" He shouted.

They all then ran and Ross followed them.

"Protect the hybrid!" Dalek Thay said.

"Protect. Protect. Protect." Dalek Thay, Jast and Caan all said at the same time whilst Sek just stood there, literally for once in his life not knowing what to do.

He had nothing.

Dalek Thay glided over to Dalek Sek "Report Status."

"Pain. Pain..." Sek told Thay as he was still feeling the pain, maybe becoming a human Dalek wasn't the brightest idea he's had for a while "of the flesh like no other Dalek has felt for thousands of years."

"Ross has escaped."

Sek turned and looked at Thay "Then find him. Find him." Sek ordered.

Dalek Thay turned around away from Sek and went over to the pig slaves "Find Ross. The prisoners must be recaptured."

As they were all running through the tunnel, minus the other prisoners as they had already found their way out, Laura stopped as she was leading the way and became unsure to which way to go. Ross then came running down the tunnel seconds later at full speed and running past them all "Come on! Move, move, move, move, move!" He shouted turning around the corner of a tunnel, Frank, Rocky and Laura following.

That was when they ran by Tallulah who was still lost and looking for the exit "And you, Tallulah! Run!"

Tallulah became bewildered as everyone ran by her "What's happened to Lazlo?!"

Sure enough, the pig slaves and two of the Dalek's came down the tunnel following them all. Lazlo, who was with them, slipped away to the group where they were then all guided over to the ladder by Ross. "C'mon! Everyone up!" Ross shouted as they all climbed near enough one by one.

Dalek Sek walked over to the remains of the radio and picked it up, running his hand across the broken casing, almost wistful.

Dalek Caan and Dalek Thay had found the ladder Ross, Rocky, Laura, Frank, Tallulah and Lazlo had climbed up. "They have ascended," Dalek Thay turned around to the pig slaves "return to base," the pig slaves left the tunnel and Thay turned around back to Caan "request information. What is your opinion of Dalek Sek?"

"We were created to follow him." Dalek Caan said.

"But you have.. doubts." Dalek Thay said.

Dalek Caan turned his head around in a 360 circle, as if him and Thay were a couple of teenage girls and trying to keep a secret from their friends and making sure they were both alone. He looked back at Thay "Affirmative." Caan admitted.

And because they were Dalek's and not humans, they didn't even realise that they looked like and were acting like a pair of teenagers trying to keep something from their friends.

It was funny actually if anybody had bared witness to it.

The prisoners, plus Ross, Rocky, Laura, Frank and Tallulah, all returned into Hooverville. And moments later, they were all gathered around a fire whilst Laura and Tallulah were sitting on crates together. "These Dalek's," Solomon started to talk "they sound like the stuff of nightmares. And they wanna breed?"

"They're splicing themselves into human bodies," Ross went on to explain to everyone who was there and gathered around the fire "if I'm right, they've got a farm of breeding stock right here in Hooverville. We've got to get everyone out."

"Hooverville's the lowest place a man can fall. There's nowhere else to go."

Ross shrugged "I'm sorry, Solomon. You've got to scatter. Go anywhere. Down to the railroads, travel across state, just get out of New York."

"There's got to be a way to reason with these things." Solomon said with hope. There was no way he was leaving Hooverville, this was practically going to be his forever home. He was going to die here as an old man, ever since he made this place he'd always planned to.

Laura let out a scoff "No chance."

Frank agreed with Laura "You ain't seem 'em boss."

"Dalek's are bad enough at anytime, but right now they're vulnerable," Ross told Solomon "and that makes them more dangerous than ever."

A sentry post was on the edge of Hooverville looking out to see if he could find anything that was coming towards them or attack when he saw the pig slaves coming. He got up off his feet, blew his whilst as a warning and ran back into Hooverville shouting "They're coming! They're coming!"

"A sentry," Solomon said as he looked over to where the shouting was coming from "must have seen something."

"They're here!" The Sentry continued on shouting as he got near the fire "I seem 'em! Monsters! They're monsters!"

Ross looked over to where the sentry had ran from "It's started."

"We're under attack!" Solomon started shouting so the rest of Hooverville could hear, the ones that weren't here right now "everyone to arms!"

Men started passing out the guns and other weapons they had collected in case something like was to of happened. And boy were they glad they did. "I'm ready boss," Frank said as he held a gun, he turned to everyone else who wasn't armed or was looking for something "but al o' you! Find a weapon! Use anything!" Frank shouted to them, but some of the residents had ran off.

"Come back!" Solomon shouted to the residents who had ran "we gotta stick together! It's not safe out there! Come back!"

The pig slaves had finally reached Hooverville where they started attacking everyone who tried to escape. Laura, Rocky and Tallulah all watched in horror along with everyone else "We need to get out of the park!" Laura said.

"We can't!" Ross said "they're on all sides. They're driving people back towards us."

Tallulah's voice cracked in fear "We're trapped."

"Then we stand together. Gather round. Everybody come to me. You there, Jethro, Harry, Seamus, stay together!" Solomon ordered. At that point, all the pig slaves had forced everyone into a tight circle by the fire. "They can't take all of us." Solomon started firing his gun at the pig slaves.

"If we can just hold them off till daylight." Rocky said.

Ross looked up skywards, looking at the sky as something had caught his eye "Oh, Rocky, they're just foot soldiers."

Everyone then looked up to the sky. Laura's eyes widened "Oh my god."

Dalek Thay flew above in the sky, heading towards them all. "What in the world-" Solomon said in disbelief in horror.

"It's the devil," The sentry started again "a devil in the sky. God save us all. It's damnation."

"Oh yeah?" Frank questioned, cocking his gun "we'll see about that!" He then fired his gun at Dalek Thay, only for the bullet to bounce off and do no damage what so ever.

Ross pushed down the rifle Frank was holding "That's not gonna work."

Dalek Sek stared at the wall with Dalek Jast "Establish visual contact." Dalek Sek said where a screen appeared showing Dalek Thay's view of Hooverville "commence the attack."

Rocky looked up at Dalek Thay, where he saw another Dalek, Dalek Caan, coming "There's more than one of them." Rocky said.

Dalek Caan started to attack Hooverville, firing upon the settlement causing explosions and starting fires all around. "The humans will surrender." Dalek Thay ordered.

Ross appeared on the screen that Dalek Sek had ordered to be shown of Hooverville "Leave them alone!" Ross shouted up to Dalek Thay, knowing Sek could more than likely see "they've done nothing to you!"

"We have located Ross." Dalek Caan spoke.

Solomon stepped forward from the group and Ross immediately grabbed him by the arm, stopping him "No, Solomon. Stay back." Ross warned.

Solomon ignored Ross's warning and pulled his arm away, stepping forward looking up at Caan and Thay "I'm told that I'm addressin' the Dalek's, is that right?" Solomon asked.

"Observe humanity," Dalek Sek said "for all their faults they have.. such courage."

"From what I hear, you're outcasts, too."

"Solomon.. don't.." Ross warned again. He really didn't want Solomon to have a death by a Dalek.

"Ross," Solomon said looking at him "this is my township, you will respect my authority."

Sek watched on the screen back in the lab at the exchange with great interest in what was going on. Not at Caan and Thay attacking Hooverville, but at how the humans were reacting and dealing with this. "Just let me try.." Solomon said.

Solomon pushed Ross out of the way, Ross just stepped back and shook his head. Ross was no longer to blame for what happened next, he tried to warn him, he really did. "Dalek's," Solomon said starting to speak up to the Dalek's "ain't we all the same? Underneath, ain't we all kin?" Solomon set his rifle down on the ground "cause, see, I've just discovered this past day God's universe is a thousand times the size I thought it was. And that scares me. Oh, yeah. That terrifies me. Right down to the bone. But it's got to give me hope.. hope that maybe together we can make a better tomorrow. So I... I beg you now if you have any compassion in your hearts then you'll meet with us and stop this fight. Well.. what do you say?"

Silence fell between everyone up until - "Exterminate!" Dalek Caan said before firing upon Solomon, killing him.

"Oh, no!" Frank said.

In the lab, Sek gasped when he saw Solomon's death happen. Causing Dalek Jast to looked at him.

Frank ran over to Solomon's side "No! Solomon!"

"They killed him," Laura said becoming full of more fear as time went on and each minute passed "they just shot him on the spot!"

All of a sudden, Ross just became utterly pissed off and jumped up from the floor from Solomon's side "DALEK'S!" Ross shouted, pissed. Ross moved forwards, with his arms out to his side, confronting the Dalek's "alright, so it's my turn! Then kill me! Kill me if it'll stop you attacking these people!"

"I will be the destroyer of our greatest enemy." Dalek Thay said.

"THEN DO IT!" Ross shouted "Do it! Just do it!" He screamed as he beat on his chest hard, full of fury and rage "DO IT!"

"Extermin-"

"Stop!" Dalek Sek said, cutting off the Dalek and stopping him from killing Ross "I command you. Stop."

"I do not understand," Dalek Thay said "it is Ross."

"But I want him alive." Sek started to argue with Thay about Ross's life, living or not.

"The urge to kill is too strong."

"I have decided Ross must live and you will obey me." Sek ordered.

Dalek Thay struggled to come to terms with this "I...obey."

Ross looked up at Thay confused with a puzzled look "What's going on?" He asked. He was expecting himself to be dead by now. But.. why wasn't he?

"Bring him to me."

Dalek Thay looked down at Ross "You will follow."

"No!" Laura grabbed Ross's arm to stop him from going "you can't go!"

Ross pulled his arm away from Laura and looked down at her "I've got to go. The Dalek's just changed their minds. Dalek's never change their minds."

"But what about us?" Laura asked.

Ross looked back at the people of Hooverville before facing Dalek Thay "One condition! If I come with you, you spare the lives of everyone here! Do you hear me?" Ross ordered, rather than asked.

"Obey Ross." Dalek Sek said.

"The humans will be spared," Thay told Ross "Ross... follow."

Laura went to go follow Ross "I'm coming with you."

"Laura, stay here," Ross said stopping her "do what you do best. People are hurt. You can help them. Let me go."

Laura looked at Ross as he looked at Thay and Caan before he stride off to follow them, Laura just stood there looking hurt and alone. Ross then paused walking for a moment before turning around "Oh, and can I just say, thank you very much." Ross gripped both of Laura's hands and winked as he walked off.

Laura looked down, seeing Ross had given her the psychic paper. She smiled.

Dalek Jast turned his head and looked at Sek "You saved Ross. Why?"

"He's.. a genius," Sek admitted "and we can use him. The future of the Dalek's might well depend on Ross."

Laura sat in a tent applying a bandage to a man's arm with Rocky just sat on the table trying to help, but really he was being useless. That's when Tallulah walked in with a pot of water "Here you go. I got some more on the boil." She said handing it over.

"Thanks," Laura said taking the bowl and putting it on the table. She turned to the man "you'll be alright. It's just a cut. Try and keep it clean."

"Thanks." The man said before exiting.

Tallulah sat down on a near by chair "What about us? What do we do now?"

"Ross gave me this," Laura said pulling out the psychic paper and showing Tallulah and Rocky "he must have a reason."

"What's that for?"

"Gets you into places," Rocky started to explain to Tallulah "buildings and whatever else you want. But where?" Rocky asked "he must want us to go somewhere, but what are we suppose to do?"

Ross arrived in the Dalek lab with Thay and Caan where he immediately started in on Sek "Those people were defenseless!" Ross started to yell "you only wanted me, but no, that wasn't enough for you! You had to start killing cause that's the only thing Dalek's are good for!"

Dalek Sek nodded "The deaths.. were wrong." He admitted.

Ross had looked away from Dalek Sek, but his head immediately shot back at him with a look of disbelief and confusion, like he had misheard what Sek had just said. Which he's pretty sure he did "What you just say?" Ross asked baffled, with a change in his tone and a little higher.

"That man," Dalek Sek started to speak again "their leader Solomon, he showed courage." Sek said as if that was the must amazing thing on the planet.

Ross felt like he'd been slapped in the face with a wrecking ball about a thousand times and he had no brain to process or function what on Earth Sek was going on about "And.. t-tha.. that's good to you?" Ross asked.

"That's excellent."

Ross folded his arms, still looking baffled "Is it me or are you becoming a little more human?"

"You are the last of your kind and now I am the first of mine."

"What do you want me for?" Ross asked.

Dalek Sek started walking around the room to show Ross what he was talking about, so Ross followed "We tried everything to survive when we found ourselves stranded in this ignorant age. First we tried growing new Dalek embryos but their flesh was too weak." Sek explained to Ross.

"Yeah," Ross nodded "I found one of your experiments," He said referring to the green blob he'd picked up earlier, the one Laura had got grossed out about him picking up in his hands "just left to die out there in the dark." he added on.

"It forced us to conclude what is the greatest resource of this planet - it's people." Sek then lifted a giant switch on the wall and the ceiling above lit up to show Ross hundreds of human bodies lying suspended. Sek then lifted another switch where one of the bodies started to lower down to them. Ross saw it was shrouded as Sek kept on talking "we stole them. We stole human beings for our purpose. Look.. inside," Sek told Ross. Ross done as Sek said and opened the shroud to reveal a man. "this.. is the extent of the Final Experiment." Sek told Ross.

Ross looked down at the man lying in the shroud "is he dead?"

"Near death with his mind wiped ready to be filled with new ideas."

"Dalek ideas."

"The Human-Dalek race."

"All of these people," Ross said looking up "how many?"

Sek looked up also "We have caverns beyond this storing more than a thousand."

"Is there anyway to restore them? Make them human again?" Ross asked.

"Everything they were has been lost." Dalek Sek said regretfully.

"So, they're like shells," Ross said "you've got empty human beings ready to be converted. That's going to take a hell of a lot of power. This planet hasn't even split the atom yet. How're you gonna do it?" Ross asked.

"Open the conductor plan."

Inside Solomon's tent, Tallulah and Rocky were searching through papers whilst Laura was pacing back and forth, tapping the psychic paper in her hand. "Wait a minute," Laura stopped pacing "down in the sewers the Dalek's mentioned this.. energy conductor."

"What does that mean?" Tallulah asked.

Laura shrugged as she still tapped the psychic paper in her hand "I don't know," She shrugged "maybe like a... lightening conductor or.. Dalekanium!" Laura said bright as it came to her "they said the Dalekanium was in place."

Rocky looked at Laura confused, taking a break from going through the papers in Solomon's room "In place where?" He asked.

"Frank might know."

Rocky, Laura and Tallulah left Solomon's tent, only to find Frank grieving outside. "Frank?" Laura asked, going over to him "that Mr Diagoras, he was like some sort of fixer, yeah? Get you jobs all over town?"

Frank looked up and nodded, trying to hide the fact he was grieving "Yeah. He could find profit anywhere."

"But where, thought?" Laura asked "what sort of things?"

"You name it," Frank stood up "we're all so desperate for work, you just hoped Diagoras would pick you for something good. Building work. That pays the best."

"What sort of building work?" Rocky asked.

"Mainly building that." Frank said as he pointed over to the Empire State Building.

Dalek Sek showed Ross the animated graphic of their plan they had been working on. Ross looked at it "Yeah, yeah, yeah. The Empire State Building. We're right underneath that. I worked that out already, thanks. But what, you hijacked the whole building?" Ross asked.

"We needed an energy conductor." Sek told Ross.

"What for?"

"I... am the genetic temple. My altered DNA was to be administrated to each human body. A strong enough blast of gamma radiation can splice the Dalek and human genetic codes and wake each body from it's sleep." Sek explained.

Ross looked at Sek confused "Gamma radiation? What are-Oh, the sun. You're using the sun."

"Soon.. the greatest solar flare for a thousand years will hit the Earth," Sek went onto explain further more "gamma radiation will be drawn to the energy conductor and when it strikes-"

"The army wakes," Ross finished off the sentence for him "I still don't know what you need me for." He shook his head.

"Your genius," Sek told Ross as he looked at him "consider a pure Dalek; intelligent but emotionless."

"Removing the emotions makes you stronger," Ross said as he dug his hands into his pockets "that's what your creator thought all those years ago. Before he died."

"He was wrong."

"He was what?" Ross asked, thinking he'd misheard. But in all honesty, it was just all shock. He thought he would never see the day where a Dalek would be thinking like a human.

Dalek Sek went onto to speak "It makes us lesser enemies. We must return to the flesh," at that statement the other three Dalek's looked at Sek, seeming concerned about this statement. But Sek added "and also.. the heart."

Ross looked at Sek with a confused, yet happy, look "You wouldn't be the supreme beings anymore.."

"And that is good."

"That is incorrect." Dalek Thay said.

"Dalek's are supreme." Dalek Caan added.

"No, not anymore." Sek told the three of them.

"But that is our purpose."

"Then our purpose is wrong!" Sek raised his voice "where has our quest for supremacy led us? To this. Hiding in the sewers on a primitive world. Just four of us left. If we do not change now, then we deserve extinction."

Ross now had his arms folded, looking from Thay, Caan and Jast over to Sek "So you want to change everything that makes a Dalek a Dalek."

"If.. you can help me."

Laura, Rocky, Frank and Tallulah were all stood in the service lift of the Empire State Building, going up right to the top where the finishing touches were being added to the building. "I always wanted to go to the Empire State," Laura smiled, it then faded "never imagined it quite like this, though."

Frank looked at the buttons on the lift "Where are we headed anyway?" Frank asked.

"To the top where they're still building." Rocky said. Even though Laura hadn't explained to them what they were doing, he was smart enough to pick up on what she was doing.

"How come those guys just let us through?" Tallulah asked, confused "how's that thing work?"

"Psychic paper," Laura said holding it up "shows them whatever I want them to think. According to this, we're three two engineers and two architects."

Frank took the psychic paper from Laura into his own hands and flipped the empty paper over in his hands, amazed, yet confused at the same time.

Sek watched Ross as he worked with amazement "Your knowledge of genetic engineering is even greater than ours," Sek said "the new race must be ready by the time the solar flare erupts."

"But you're the template," Ross said as he worked "I thought they were getting a dose of you."

"I want to change the gene sequence."

"To make them even more human?" Ross asked. He more guessed than asked.

"Humans are the great survivors. We need that ability."

Ross stopped what he was doing and lifted his hand "Hold on a minute," He said "there's no way this lot are gonna let you do it." He said, referring to Thay, Jast and Caan.

"I am their leader."

Ross turned around to the other Dalek's "Oh, and that's enough for you, is it?" Ross asked, even though he'd rather have the Dalek's turn good than stay bad.

"Dalek's must follow orders." Dalek Caan said.

"Dalek Sec commands, we obey." Dalek Thay added.

Sek looked at Ross "If you don't help me.. nothing will change."

Change. Would it be a good change if he helped the Dalek's become human, which would result in them becoming good? What kind of changes would there be? As much as he wanted this to be a change into good, there was just one problem "There's no room on Earth for another race of people.." Ross said in a whispered tone, but not a complete whisper.

"You have you TARDIS. Take us across the stars," Sek said, well suggested "find us a new home and allow the new Dalek's to start again."

Ross paused for a moment, letting silence fall over. He broke it "When's the solar flare?" He asked.

"Eleven minutes."

"Right then," Ross clapped his hands together, turning back round to the machines "better get to work."

Frank, Laura, Tallulah and Rocky finally got to the top floor and entered the room where Diagoras had been using as an office. Tallulah looked around with a smile "Look at this place. Top of the world." She said.

Rocky looked around the room where he spotted the architectural plans "Okay, now this looks good." Rocky said going over and standing in front of it.

Frank and Laura joined him "Hey, look at the date," Frank said pointing at it "these designs were issued today. They must've changed something last minute."

"You mean the Dalek's changed something?" Rocky asked.

"Yeah, could be."

Laura looked through the blue prints of the building "The ones underneath, they're from before. That means whatever they changed must be on this top sheet but not this one," She said "we need to check one against the other."

"The height of this place!" Talluah said, completely amazed with the brightest smile on her face ever "this is amazing!"

"Careful," Rocky said looked over to Tallulah and then back at the blueprints with Frank and Laura "we're a hundred floors up. Don't go wandering off."

"I just wanna see," Tallulah said, going over to the open area and overlooking the entire city "New York City. If aliens had to come to Earth, no wonder they came here." She said in awe.

Back in the lab, Ross went around the room checking the equipment and the readouts for what Sek was doing, or planning to do. "There's no point in chromosomal grafting. It's too erratic. You need to split the genome and force the Dalek-human sequence right into the cortex." Ross explained to Sek.

"We need more chromatin solution." Sek said.

"The pig slaves have it." Dalek Thay said.

The pig slaves then walked into the room carrying a large crate. One of the pig slaves being Lazlo. Ross was actually wondering where Lazlo had gotten off too, and now his question had been answered. "These pig slaves," Ross said, turning to Sek "what happens to them in the grand plan?" Ross asked.

Sek looked over at the pig slaves and then at Ross "Nothing," He said "they're just simple beasts. Their life span is limited. None survived beyond a few weeks," he turned to the other three Dalek's "power up the engine feeds."

Ross looked over at Lazlo and walked over to him, taking him to one side "Lazlo, I can't undo what they've done to you, but they won't do it to anyone else."

Lazlo looked over to Sek and back at Ross "Do you trust him?" He asked.

Ross then also looked over at Sek with a sigh, he then looked at Lazlo "I know that one man can change the course of history," Ross said, though one of the other Dalek's had spotted them both talking "right idea in the right place at the right time is all it takes. I've got to believe it's possible." Ross said with some hope.

Rocky and Laura had the plans for the building of the Empire State spread out on the floor, kneeling down and studying them whilst Frank and Tallulah were stood near by. "I'll go keep an eye out," Frank said looking over at a side door "make sure we're safe up here. Don't want nobody buttin' in." Frank then made his way over to the door.

Tallulah looked over of the open area at the night sky of New York "There's a hell of a storm movin' in."

Laura sighed as her and Rocky were having trouble looking through all of these "I wish Ross was here," Laura said "he'd know what we're looking for."

"So, tell me," Tallulah said making her way over beside Laura "where did you and him first hook up?"

"In a hospital, sort of."

"Oh," Tallulah said, as if it was making all sense "of course! He's so smart, I figured he had to be some sort of doctor or something along them lines." She knelt down beside Laura.

Laura shook her head "No, I'm the doctor and so's he," She nodded towards Rocky "well, kind of anyway."

"You're both a physician?" Tallulah asked, both of them nodded "really?"

"We were training," Rocky said, stilling going through the plans "still are, if we ever get back home."

Tallulah grabbed Laura's arm in happiness "You could be doctor's together," Tallulah said referring to Ross, rather than Rocky. It was like she's forgotten about him. She then gasped "what a partnership. Oh, it's such a shame. If only he wasn't so.. different. You know what I mean?"

"Oh, you have no idea how different he is."

"Yeah, he's a man, sweetheart. That's different enough."

At that point Rocky just snapped, he decided that he was going to get it drilled into Laura and Tallulah's head Ross was not interested in Laura "But, he had this.. companion a while back," Rocky spoke up loud enough for them both to hear, Tallulah looked at him "this friend. And ever since then he's been on his own. But you know, Laura sometimes says something or does something and to he looks at her, and me, and I just sort of think.. when he's looking at us - especially Laura - he's not seeing us," Rocky said "he's just remembering."

"Aw" Tallulah put her hand on Laura's arm, almost like support "listen sweetheart. You wanna get all sad? You wanna have a contest with me and Lazlo?" She asked,looking at Laura.

Rocky rolled his eyes. This Tallulah really wasn't getting the point, was she? "No," Rocky snapped "but listen. If Ross is with Lazlo now, there's every chance that he could get him out."

"And then what?" Tallulah questioned "don't talk crazy. There's no future for me and him. Those Dalek things took that away. The one good thing I had in my life and they destroyed it." Tallulah then stood up from the ground and walked back over to the open area.

"The feeds are ready." Dalek Thay said.

Ross then rushed up to a bunch of tubes and started to extract the solution that was inside with a syringe "Then it's all systems go." Ross said in the process of doing this.

"The solar flare is imminent," Sek said "the radiation... will reach Earth in a matter of minutes."

"We'll be ready for it," Ross inserted the syringe into one of the main feeding tubes and injected the solution "he compound will allow the gene bonds to reconfigure in a brand new pattern. Power up!"

One of the pig slaves turned on a power switch along with Lazlo. "Start.. the line feeds." Sek ordered the three Dalek's.

Dalek Jast started the machinery, which started to make the solution move through the tubes. Ross watched "There goes the gene solution." He said.

"The life blood." Sek said as the solution started coursing up to the bodies.

"Gotcha! Look!" Laura said as she found the plan. Tallulah joined Rocky and Laura, looking at the plans "there, on the mast," Laura pointed "those little lines? They're new. They've added something, see?"

"Added what?" Tallulah asked.

Both girls looked at each other "Dalekanium!" Laura started to laugh.

As the solution was doing what it was doing, a klaxon sounded and a red warning light started to flash which started to confuse Ross and Sek. "What's happening?" Sek asked "is there a malfunction? Answer me!"

"No, no, no. The gene feed! They're overriding the gene feed!" Ross said as he rushed over to the controls to attempt to fix the major error.

"Impossible. They cannot disobey orders."

"Ross will step away from the controls." Dalek Caan said. Ross looked over at Dalek Caan and backed away from the controls, he should of known this would of happened. The normal Dalek's obviously weren't gonna allow Sek to do this.

"Stop!" Sek ordered "you will not fire."

"He is an enemy of the Dalek's." Dalek Thay said.

"And so are you." Dalek Caan said to Sek.

Dalek Caan, Thay and Jast then aimed their weapons at Ross and Dalek Sek. "I am your commander," Dalek Sek said "I am Dalek Sek."

"You have lost your authority." Dalek Jast said.

"You are no longer a Dalek." Dalek Caan said.

Ross looked at the three Dalek's "What have you done with the gene feed?" He asked.

"The new bodies will be 100% Dalek." Dalek Jast said.

"No. You can't do this!" Sek yelled.

"Pig slaves," Dalek Caan said turning to them "restrain Dalek Sek and Ross."

Two pig slaves them came over and grabbed Dalek Sek, but the other pig slave that grabbed Ross was Lazlo. "Release me," Sek demanded "I created you. I am your master."

"Solar flare approaching." Dalek Caan said.

"Prepare to intercept" Dalek Jast said.

Thay, Jast and Caan turned towards the machinery when the lift bell rang. "There's the lift." Lazlo said to Ross.

Ross turned around looking at it "After you."

And with that, Ross and Lazlo pushed their way clear and headed for the lift away from the Dalek's and pig slaves. Ross would of got Sek and escaped with him, but he was being held by two pig slaves, he'd come back for Sek though because Sek seems like the only hope for the Dalek race. Even if there is only three of them left, minus Sek. "Ross is escaping!" Dalek Caan said "stop him! Stop him!"

The pig slaves went to go follow, but the lift doors had already closed.

* * *

**I have nothing to say right now and normally I do. I'm just happy that after this chapter, all I have to write it Utopia, The Sound Of Drums & Last Of The Timelords and then I can start Rydel's ERA which I KNOW every single one of you is going to love for "reasons"! I know only about 1 or 2 of you know, but seriously.. the gut feeling I get when i think of that era is just dfghjkldjfhgchdjklkjhvgchjkldkvcghfolcmndbhjkmnbfhjckmr. Like omg. **

**Anyway..**

**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**


	26. Evolution Of The Dalek's: The Dalekanium

_**Evolution Of The Dalek's: The Dalekanium**_

Inside the lift, Lazlo leant against the side of the wall of the elevator and started panting heavily. Ross looked up to where the lift was taking them "We've only got minutes before the gamma radiation reaches the Earth. We need to get to the top of the building," Ross looked behind him where he saw Lazlo panting "Lazlo, what's wrong?" Ross asked becoming concerned.

"Out of breath. It's nothing," Lazlo said, actually waving it off with his hand as if it was nothing "we've escaped them, Ross. That's all that matters."

The lift doors opened on the top floor where Rocky, Laura, Frank and Tallulah were, they all turned their heads to see Ross and Lazlo coming out of the elevator. "I never thought I'd see you again!" Tallulah said, rushing over to Lazlo as he met her halfway where they then hugged.

"No stopping me." Lazlo said as he hugged her back tightly as he could.

Rocky went and led Ross over to where the plans were "We worked it out," Rocky began "we know what they've done. There's Dalekanium on the mast," He then looked at Ross with a sarcastic smile "and it's good to see you too, by the way."

"Oh, come here." He gave Rocky a quick manly hug before going over to Laura and grabbing her in a big hug, twirling her about in the air. He then dropped her abruptly as the bell on the lift dinged and the lift doors shut. Ross ran over to try stop it "no, no, no. See, never waste time with a hug!" Ross used the sonic on the panel "it's deadlock seal. I can't stop it."

"Where's it going?" Laura asked.

"Right down to the Dalek's," Ross said "and they're not going to leave us alone up here," he turned back round to everyone "what time is it?" He asked.

"11:15." Frank told him.

Ross nodded "Six minutes to go. I've got to remove the Dalekanium before gamma radiation hits."

Rocky and Laura lead Ross outside, with Tallulah and Lazlo following. Ross looked out to the city "Oh, that's high. That's very- Jesus, that's high.." Ross said.

"And we've got to go even higher," Laura said "that's the mast up there, look," she pointed to the VERY top of the Empire State Building "there's three pieces of Dalekanium at the base. We've got to get them off."

"That's not 'we'. That's just me."

"Erm, we won't just stand here and watch you." Rocky said. As much as he would like Ross to climb that height, instead of Rocky, the three of them had came too far now to back down. They were in this together whether Ross liked it or not.

Ross shook his head "No, you're gonna have your hands full, anyway. I'm sorry, guys, but you've got to fight."

Down in the lab, Dalek Sek had been caught by the pig slaves and he was chained up to a wall, just watching as the other three Dalek's, Thay, Jast and Caan, kept on planning to bring destruction to the Earth. How the hell did they even managed to get this far? Maybe when they were fighting the Cybermen at Canary Wharf, they should of just went into the Void along with the Cybermen and all the other billions of Dalek's. Could of saved everyone a favour.

"Confirm time until solar flare intercept." Dalek Caan said to Thay.

"Gamma strike, four minutes and counting." Dalek Thay said.

Ross climbed higher and higher up the scaffolding, hanging on for dear life with nothing but his hands as high winds and rain blew and battered around him, making it more hard and slippery for him to hold on. But luckily, he reached the base of the mast, taking out the sonic screwdriver and using it on the bolts that were holding the Dalekanium in place.

The lift arrived down in the lab where it was going to take the pig slaves up to the top "Pig slaves will take the lift. Find Ross. Kill him." Caan ordered the pig slaves. The pig slaves then entered the lift, obeying Caan.

Laura, Rocky, Frank, Tallulah and Lazlo had picked up makeshift weapons and were facing the lift as they saw it was coming up. Frank sighed "I shoulda brought that gun.." He said. It would of made this whole thing a lot more easier.

"Tallulah, stay back," Lazlo said "you too, Laura. If they send pig slaves, they're trained to kill."

"Hey, Ross needs me to fight as well as Rocky and Frank," Laura told Lazlo "I'm not going anywhere!"

"They're savages. I should know," Lazlo went onto explain, feeling the room around him becoming tighter and beginning to spin "they're trained to slit your throat with their bare teeth." and with that, Lazlo collapsed onto the floor.

"Lazlo? What is it?" Tallulah asked.

Lazlo struggled to stand up from the floor "No, it's nothing. I'm fine. Just leave me." Lazlo fell back onto the floor, leaning against a wall.

Tallulah knelt beside him, placing her hand to his forehead "Oh, honey, you're burning up. What's wrong with you?" Tallulah asked "tell me."

"One man down and we ain't even started yet." Frank said to Rocky and Laura.

"It's not looking good, Frank.." Rocky said as he saw the elevator coming up. Frank shook his head along with Laura.

Hearing the storm through the open end of the room, it gave Rocky an idea. "Wait a minute.." He smiled "lightening." He then ran to the other end of the room.

Ross was still struggling with the Dalekanium as the wind and rain battered the building as well as him, making everything really slippy. And if Ross was honest, he really didn't want to fall off the top of the Empire State Building. It was a VERY long way down and he'd more than likely die. He can't heal himself all the time, he can only do it 13 times and right now... he was on 11. ONE more life left.

He doesn't really wanna waste it.

Cause when he's on 12, and then move onto 13.. he's only got a limited amount of time before he dies and goes forever. He only wants to go onto 12 when he REALLY has too. Like for instance.. when he gets shot by a Dalek, cause that's the most deadly thing he an think of that something like him can get killed by.

Though, he knows that's never gonna happen.

He pulled off the panel and moved onto the next one.

Laura, Rocky and Frank arranged long metal rods from the outside, across the room and to the lift, making sure they didn't touch the floor whilst Tallulah was with Lazlo on the floor. Tallulah looked over to Frank, Rocky and Laura, seeing what they were doing "What the hell are you three clowns doin'?" Tallulah asked.

"Even if Ross stops the Dalekanium, this place is still gonna get hit," Rocky started to explain as he still arranged everything "great big bolt of lightening, electricity all down this building. Connect this to the lift and they get zapped." Rocky explained.

"Oh my god, that could work."

"Then give us a hand!" Frank said.

"Gamma strike imminent." Dalek Caan said, down in the lab.

"In 40 rels," Dalek Jast said "39... 38... 37.."

Ross was still working on the second panel when the sonic screwdriver slipped from his fingers, due to his hand being wet from the rain as well as the actual sonic itself. Ross went to catch it, but instead he just leaned over the edge to see it gone. Falling down into New York City.

Now there was no stopping what was about to happen.

Laura, Rocky and Frank had finished their handiwork they were doing. Tallulah looked at it as it stretched from outside and all the way over to the lift "Is that gonna work?" Tallulah asked.

"It's got to." Rocky said.

"I've got it all piped up to the scaffolding outside." Frank said.

"Come here, Frank" Rocky said guiding Frank over in the middle of the work they'd just done "sit in the middle and don't touch anything metal."

Ross tried to pull the panel off with his bare hands, grunting with effort.

"12.. 11... 10..." Dalek Jast counted down.

Ross, knowing that there was no way he could get the panel's off in time, stood looking up to the sky.

Laura, Rocky, Frank, Tallulah and Lazlo all huddled together in the corner of the room, getting ready for the impact of lightening.

Ross started to climb up the mast of the State Building, where he then wrapped his around it, clinging tight too it. He had the strangest feeling he was going to regret this, but if it saved everyone in New York and stopped 3 out of 4 of the Dalek's then so be it.

The lift arrived on the floor Rocky and the rest of them were on, the doors began to slide open.

"Zero. Gamma strike!" Dalek Jast said.

A bolt of lightening then stroke the mast, coursing down it and through Ross who just screamed in pain as it done so. The lightening passed along the pipes to the lift, striking the pig slaves dead. Ross was still clinging to the mast, screaming.

Energy charged down the whole of the Empire State Building and into the lab "The army awakes." Dalek Caan said. The bodies began to lower from the ceiling as they revived and they pushed off the shrouds.

Rocky, Laura, Frank, Lazlo and Tallulah all opened their eyes when the lightening stopped to see the dead pig slaves in the lift. Rocky was the first to run over along with Laura, Frank went over also, putting his arm over Laura's shoulder. "You did it, Rocky." Tallulah said happily with relief.

"They used to be like Lazlo," Rocky said looking down at the dead pig slaves "they were people and I killed them.."

Lazlo shook his head "No, the Dalek's killed them. Long ago."

"What about Ross?" Laura asked. She then turned around and rushed outside.

A line of human Dalek's, even though they looked nothing like Sek looked, impassively faced their creators. Dalek Caan started to question the man who used to be a foreman upstairs "You will identify.".

"I.. am... a Dalek."

"Excellent." Dalek Jast said.

"Begin the invasion of Manhattan," Dalek Thay ordered "the population will be converted into Dalek's."

"And from this island we will conquer the world." Dalek Caan said.

"Assume battle positions. Take arms." Dalek Jast ordered the Dalek Humans.

The human-form Dalek's marched past a rack containing guns, the ones Dalek's have on their body, and took one each as they passed.

Up by the mast, Ross was laying on his back unconscious when Rocky, Laura and Frank found him. "Ross! Ross!" Laura said, kneeling beside him "look what we found halfway down," she held up the sonic screwdriver "you're getting careless."

"Oh my head.." Ross groaned. Least he wasn't dead or dying, that meant he didn't have to use up all his lives.

"Hiya." Laura said relieved.

"Hi. You survived then."

"So did you," She smiled "just about."

Rocky then interrupted as he was becoming pissed at Ross and Laura's little moment that Laura was practically forcing upon them "Can't help noticing.." He said, bringing their attention to him "there's still Dalekanium attached."

Ross's eyes widened and he jumped up off the floor.

"War demands strategy," Dalek Caan said "I am designated controller."

Sek looked up to Caan from the floor "That was to be my position."

"You are unfit." Dalek Thay said.

"Connect me to the military computer," Caan ordered "I will coordinate all units."

Ross, Rocky, Laura and Frank all ran back into the room Tallulah and Lazlo were in "The Dalek's will have gone straight to a war footing," Ross said "they'll be using the sewers, spreading their soldiers out underneath Manhattan."

"How do we stop them?" Lazlo asked.

"There's only one chance. I got in the way. That gamma strike went zapping through me first."

"but what does that mean?" Laura asked.

"We need to draw fire," Ross told them "before they can attack New York, I need to face them. Think, think, think, think. We need some sort of space, somewhere safe, somewhere out of the way- Tallulah!" He turned round to her "the theatre! It's right above them, and, what, it's gone midnight? Can you get us inside?" He asked.

"Don't see why not." Tallulah said with a slight shrug.

"Is there another lift?"

"We came up in the service elevator." Rocky said.

"That'll do! Allons-y!"

* * *

Ross, Rocky, Laura, Frank, Tallulah and Frank all arrived at the darkened theatre Tallulah works at. "This should do it," Ross said "here we go." He switched on the sonic screwdriver.

Tallulah looked around at the darkened theatre, creeped out and scared "There ain't nothin' more creepy than a theatre in the dark," She said "listen, Ross, I know you got a thing for show tunes, but there's a time and place, huh?" Lazlo all of a sudden fell into one of the chairs that was beside Tallulah "Lazlo! What's wrong?" She asked, sitting next to him.

Lazlo shook his head "Nothing. It's just so hot."

"But.. it's freezing in here!" She said concerned "Ross, what's happening to him?"

Ross was listening to the sonic screwdriver, checking it's frequency "Not now, Tallulah. Sorry." He said.

"What are you doing?" Laura asked.

"If the Dalek's are going to war, they'll wanna find their number one enemy," He looked at Laura and Rocky and shrugged like it was nothing with a smug smile "I'm just telling them where I am." He held the sonic up and turned it on.

"Sonic device detected!" Dalek Caan said from the lab.

"Ross survived." Dalek Thay said.

"Find him and exterminate." Dalek Jast said.

"I'm telling you to go," Ross started to argue with Laura "Frank can take you back to Hooverville, and Rocky."

"And I'm telling you I'm not going!" Laura argued back.

"Laura, that's an order."

Laura shook her head looking at Ross in disbelief "Who are you, then?" Laura asked "some sort of Dalek?"

As Ross went to go say something to Laura, not looking happy by what she'd just said to him, the doors to the theatre burst open and the human Dalek's arrived, flanking the six of them. "Oh, my god! Well, I guess that's them then, huh?" Tallulah said in fright.

Frank moved to go attack them,but Ross pulled him back "It's alright. Just stay calm. Don't antagonize them." Ross said.

"But what about the Dalek masters?" Lazlo asked "where are they?"

Just then, there was an explosion on the stage which cause Ross, Rocky, Laura, Frank, Tallulah and Lazlo to duck for cover behind the seats for protection. Ross peered over the seats as the smoke cleared, where he saw Dalek Thay and Jast with Dalek Sek chained and walking on all fours between them both. Ross stood slowly and the others peeked over the seats to watch. "Ross will stand before the Dalek's." Dalek Thay said.

Ross stepped over a chair and walked forwards on the backs of the rows until he reached the front row. "You will die, Ross. It is the beginning of a new age." Dalek Thay said.

"Planet Earth will become New Skaro." Dalek Jast said.

"Oh, and what a world," Ross said sarcastically "will anything just the slightest bit different ground into the dirt," Ross then pointed at Sek "that's Dalek Sek. Don't you remember?" He asked, lowering his arm "the cleverest Dalek ever and look what you've done to him. Is that your new empire? Hmm? Is that the foundation for a whole new civilization?"

"My Dalek's.." Dalek Sek started to speak "just understand this. If you choose death and destruction, then death and destruction will choose you."

"Incorrect," Dalek Thay said "we ALWAYS survive."

"Now we will destroy our greatest enemy, Ross." Dalek Jast said.

"But he can help you." Sek said, trying to reason with them.

"Ross must die." Dalek Thay said, getting ready to fire at him.

"No, I beg you, don't!" Sek said, raising his voice as he crawled in front of Dalek Thay.

"Exterminate!" Dalek Jast said.

Sek stood just as Thay fired, letting Dalek Thay's shot hit Sek instead of Ross - saving his life - where he then died instantly. "Your own leader," Ross said disgusted "the only creature who might of led you out of the darkness and you destroyed him," he turned to the human Dalek's "do you see what they did? Huh? You see what a Dalek really is?!" Ross turned back to Dalek Thay and Jast "if I'm gonna die, lets give the new boys and girls a shot. What do you think, eh? The Dalek-Humans. Their first blood. Go on, baptize them." He said, full of fury. Ross then held out his arms to his side.

"Dalek Human's, take aim." Dalek Thay ordered. The Dalek-Human's cocked their weapons and aimed them at Ross.

"What are you waiting for?" Ross asked as a little while went by "give the command!"

"Exterminate!" Dalek Jast said.

Ross closed his eyes, waiting for the impact, while Laura ducked her head against Frank's chest being unable to watch. But nothing happened. Ross re-opened his eyes.

"Exterminate!" Jast repeated.

Still, nothing happened. "Obey," Dalek Thay ordered "Dalek-Humans will obey."

"Not firing," Laura said as she looked away from Frank and over to Ross "what have you done?"

"You will obey. Exterminate." Jast ordered.

"Why?" The Dalek-Human asked, who was a former foreman.

Ross looked at the former foreman. "Dalek's do not question orders." That said.

"But why?"

"You will stop this." Thay ordered.

"But... why?"

"You must not question."

"But you are not our master," The Dalek-Human said "and we.. we are not Dalek's."

"No, you're not, and you never will be," Ross turned his head to Thay and Jast with a smile "sorry, I got in the way of the lightening strike. Time Lord DNA got all mixed up. Just that little bit of freedom."

"If they will not obey, then they must die." Dalek Jast said before shooting the Dalek-Human.

"Get down!" Ross called, ducking behind the row of chairs on the floor, along with Rocky, Frank, Laura, Tallulah and Lazlo.

Dalek-Human's fired upon Thay and Jast while Thay and Jast fired upon the humans. "Exterminate!" The Dalek's all said.

That was when Dalek Jast was blown up into pieces. "Extermin-" Dalek Thay went to go say, but he never got the chance as he was blown up afterwards.

Leaving Dalek Caan as the only Dalek left in existence.

The human Dalek's stopped firing. Frank, Laura, Rocky, Tallulah and Lazlo all stood up from the ground while Ross went over to one of the hybrids "It's alright. You did it. You're free." He said.

"The Dalek-Humans are failures," Dalek Caan said from the lab, to himself obviously "Destruct! Destruct! Destruct!"

All the hybrids in the theatre all gripped their heads and screamed in pain before crumbling to the floor dead. "No! They can't! They can't! They can't!" Ross kept on yelling.

Laura joined Ross over by one of the bodies "What happened? What was that?" Laura asked, looking up at Ross.

"They killed them," Ross said "rather than let them live. An entire species. Genocide."

"Only two of the Dalek's have been destroyed," Lazlo said "one of the Dalek masters must still be alive."

Ross stood up from the floor "Oh yes. In the whole universe, just one." He said sort of happily. Though, it was really good there was only one left.

Dalek Caan was still connected to the battle computer when Ross entered at the other end of the room, coming towards Caan "Now what?" Ross asked.

"You will be exterminated." Dalek Caan said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah," Ross said fed up and tired, he'd heard that a million times before by other Dalek's and they never shot him. Not once. A Dalek has never shot Ross in his whole life he's had. He doesn't think it's going to start now, not with one left "just think about it, Dalek- What was your name?"

"Dalek Caan."

Ross walked forwards to Dalek Caan "Dalek Caan. Your entire species has been wiped out. And now the Cult of Skaro has been eradicated. Leaving only you. Right now you're facing the only man in the universe who might show you some compassion. Cause I've seen one genocide. I won't cause another," He said, starting to speak softly "Caan... let me help you. What do you say?" He asked.

A moment of silence fell between them both in the room as Ross started to hope that Caan would let him.

"Emergency Temporal Shift!" Dalek Caan said, and with that.. he disappeared. Leaving wires hanging and a very angry Ross who charged towards him too late.

That was when Laura and Tallulah entered helping to support Lazlo "Ross! Ross! He's sick!" Laura called entering the room. Lazlo breathed heavily and wheezing. They lowered him to the ground, Tallulah cradling him in her lap. "It's okay, you're alright." Laura said down to Lazlo. Ross approached them, kneeling down "it's his heart. It's racing like mad. I've never seen anything like it." Laura said.

"What is it, Ross?" Tallulah asked in panic and worry "what's the matter with him? He says he can't breathe? What is it?"

"None of the slaves.. survive for long," Lazlo said, desperately out of breath "most of them only live a few weeks. I was lucky. I held on cause I had you. But.. I'm dyin', Tallulah."

"No you're not," Tallulah said "not now, not after all this," she looked at Ross "Ross, can't you do somethin'?"

"Oh, Tallulah with three L's and an H... you just watch me," Ross jumped up off the floor "what do I need? Oh, I don't know. How about a great big genetic laboratory? Oh look," He said holding out his arms, slowly spinning around in the lab they were in "I've got one!" He said, stopping spinning around ad facing the three "Lazlo, you just hold on," Ross ran around the lab, mixing up a solution, talking all the while he was doing this "there's been too many deaths today. Way too many people have died. Brand new creatures and wise old men and age-old enemies. And I'm tellin' you, I'm tellin' you right now, I am not having one more death! Got that? Not one! Tallulah, out of the way," Ross took a stethoscope out of his pocket and put it on "the doctor is in."

* * *

Ross, Rocky, Laura, Tallulah and Lazlo - who was bundled in an overcoat and hat so nobody could see him - were all waiting by a park bench in Central Park near Hooverville. Frank joined them "Well I talk to 'em," Frank said "and I told 'em what Solomon would've said and I reckon I shamed one or two of 'em."

"What did they say?" Ross asked.

"They said yes." Frank said with a smile. Tallulah then hugged Lazlo. Frank went on "They'll give you a home, Lazlo. I mean, uh, don't imagine people ain't gonna stare. I can't promise you'll be at peace but, in the end, that is what Hooverville is for, people who ain't got nowhere else."

"Thank you. I- I can't thank you enough." Lazlo said.

Back on Liberty Island, Ross, Rocky and Laura were all looking at the Manhattan skyline by the TARDIS. "Do you reckon it's gonna work, those two?" Laura asked.

Ross just shrugged "I don't know. Anywhere else in the universe, I might worry about them, but New York, that's what this city is good at. Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, and maybe the odd pig-slave-Dalek-mutant-hybrid too."

Rocky laughed "The pig and the showgirl."

Ross smiled "The pig and the showgirl." He repeated.

Laura continued to stare out over to the skyline "Just proves it I suppose," She said with a smile "there's someone for everyone."

Ross's smile on his face then disappeared into more of a sad frown "Maybe.." He said, turning around and walking towards the TARDIS as he began to think of a certain someone.

Rocky and Laura followed him, standing outside of the TARDIS. Laura sighed "Meant to say.. sorry."

"What for?" Ross asked as he was unlocking the TARDIS door.

"Just cause that Dalek got away," Laura said "I know what that means to you."

Rocky looked from Laura over to Ross "Do you think you'll ever see see the Dalek again?" Rocky asked.

Ross pushed the door open to the TARDIS "Oh yes." He said. Rocky and Laura entered the TARDIS whilst Ross just paused in the doorway, looking out back over the river and over at the skyline.

"One day."

**Next Time: **Utopia

**Then: **The Sound Of Drums

**Later: **Last Of The Time Lords

**After: **Partners In Crime {Rydel's Era}

* * *

**5 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**

**Okay, so now we're moving onto the final few chapters of Laura & Rocky's Era and one step closer to Rydel's :) Are you ready?**

**I will say, in the next chapter an OLD character comes back into it :) Can you guess who? ;) It won't be who you think it is by the way haha. Sorry to bring your hopes up.**

**READ: There's 2 trailers for the next chapter up! :) Go watch :) I REALLY want you guys to start watching the trailers, because I have Rydel's trailer all ready to go up and be uploaded and I REALLY want you guys to watch that trailer because it gives you something to look forward too by what's on the trailer vghjkflvrfhvncr**

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	27. Utopia: Professor Yana

_Flashbacks_

**_Utopia: Professor Yana_**

The TARDIS materialised in Cardiff in front of a water tower in Roald Dahl Plass, just for a little while they weren't going to stay there for long. Ross already had a place in mind where they could go. Ross was just stood in the console in the TARDIS with Rocky and Laura watching. "Cardiff?" Laura questioned, seeming unhappy about where they were.

Not that she didn't mind they would be in Cardiff, just after what happened on the last three or four trips.. she kinda needed a break as well as Rocky. Her Mom found out about Ross and instantly she didn't like him for some strange reason, THEN they go to some place in space in the future where she and Rocky almost ended up flying into the sun, but luckily Ross saved them with the almost cost of his own life. After that- Jesus, Laura doesn't even wanna go there. After that, Ross decided it would be fun for him to turn human for three months and then remember who he was and come back to being his original self.

That was the biggest nightmare Laura had ever been on in her entire life as well as Rocky. Ross gave them some kind of pocket watch, but it was a Time Lord one, she can't remember why he gave them it, obviously it was something to do with that. Then after that, they came face to face with these angels that when they touched you, they sent you back in time. Now, what happened to Ross, Rocky and Laura? They got touched by one and ended up in the 60s WITHOUT the TARDIS so then they were reliant upon some girl called Sally to get the TARDIS too them.

She did.

That was the last trip they went on. So now everything should be fine for them.

"Ah, but the thing about Cardiff is that it's built on a rift in time and space-just like California and the San Andreas Fault," Ross said "the rift bleeds energy. Every now and then I need to open up the engines, soak up the energy and use it as fuel." He explained.

"So it's a pit stop, basically?" Rocky asked. Sometimes he wondered why Ross couldn't just say simply what things were rather then get all technical about it.

Ross nodded "Pretty much, yeah."

Riker started running through the Plass as soon as he had saw the TARDIS. Because, let's face it, it was only a matter of time before Ross disappeared and Riker never saw him again. So he had to run like hell to try get there before he did go.

"Wait a minute," Laura said "they had an earthquake in Cardiff a couple years ago.. was that you?" Laura asked.

"Yeah, bit of trouble with the Slitheen." Ross said, remembering that. Yes, he was with Ratliff when that happened, and surprisingly he was with Ryan as well as Ratliff, which makes a change "long time ago," Ross continued on "lifetimes. I was a different guy back then."

"ROSS!" Riker shouted as he neared the TARDIS, his shouting was drawn out.

Finally, Ross finished powering up the TARDIS "Finito. All powered up." He said. Ross went over to the monitor on the TARDIS, where Riker popped up on it "Oh jesus no.." Ross muttered under his breath as a look of panic appeared on his face. He quickly started up the TARDIS to get away from him.

As Riker heard the TARDIS starting to power up, he leapt where he landed on the outside of it, holding on for dear life.

Inside the TARDIS, as soon as Riker had latched onto the outside, the console sparked where Rocky, Ross and Laura were all thrown to the floor. "What's that?" Rocky asked, clinging onto the console along with Laura and Ross.

Ross looked at the monitor where Riker had gone off it now "We're accelerating into the future?" Ross questioned, look of fear on his face "the year one billion. Five billion? Five trillion? Fifty trillion? What? The year 100 trillion? That's impossible!"

"Why?" Laura asked panicked, seeing the look on Ross's face which told her it obviously wasn't good "what happens then?"

Ross looked at Rocky and Laura from the monitor "We're going to the end of the universe."

Riker, on the other hand, clinged to the outside of the TARDIS as it hurtled through the time vortex "ROSS!" Riker yelled, drawn it out.

A small while later, the TARDIS landed with a thud, making Ross look at Rocky and Laura questioningly. Here they were. The end of the universe with god knows what could be out there. Rocky looked over to the door "What do you think's out there?" Rocky asked.

Ross stared over to the door also "I don't know."

Laura's eyes widened looking at Ross, Rocky shot his head looking at Ross near enough the same time "Say that again, that's rare.." Laura said.

"Not even the Time Lords came this far," Ross said, looking back to them both "we should leave. We should go. We should really, really... go." Ross looked directly at Laura with a wide grin, before heading for the door.

They all stepped outside, looking at nothing but a bleak landscape. The whole place was nothing but abandoned, it was night time which made it more creepier, all they were surrounded by was gray horrible looking mountains, with the odd bush or tree near by. Of course, dead trees and bushes. And this was what the end of the universe looked like. Laura looked around when her eyes landed on a blonde haired guy on the floor "Oh my god!" Laura tapped Ross's arm before rushing over to the man's side "can't get a pulse. Hold on-you've got that medical kit thing!" She jumped up off the floor before dashing into the TARDIS.

Ross sauntered over, looking over Riker who was laid on the ground unconscious and pretty much "dead" as Rocky watched him over by the TARDIS "Hello again," Ross said, looking down at him "I'm so sorry..." Rocky didn't even have to say anything to know Ross knew him. Though, he knew it wasn't Ratliff because Ross has shown him Ratliff, along with his other friends he'd travelled with like Maia. He wasn't gonna lie.. Maia looked fine with a capital F-I-N-E.

Of course, so did his other female friends he had. Never mind Rocky, he found everyone hot.

Laura rushed back out of the TARDIS with the medical kit, back over to Riker "Here we go. Out of the way," she said, shoving Ross away from Riker so she could get to him "it's a bit odd, though," she said as she examined his clothes "not very 100 trillion-that coat's more like World War Two."

"I think he came with us."

"How'd you mean?" Laura asked, looking up at "from Earth?"

Ross nodded "Must've been clinging to the outside of the TARDIS all the way through the vortex," Ross sighed "well, that's very him."

"What? Do you know him?" Laura asked, shocked. Though not that shocked as Ross seems to know everyone.

"Friend of mine," Ross said "used to travel with me before Ratliff, and then a short while with Ratliff after Ryan had left," He said with a small time "back in the old days.." He said quietly.

"But he's-I'm sorry, there's no heartbeat. There's nothing. He's dead." Laura said sadly. Riker gasped as he came back to life for air, grabbing Laura by the arm who just screamed "oh well, so much for me," Laura said, looking down at him grabbing RIker by the arm also "it's alright. Just breathe deep. I've got you now."

Riker looked up at Laura with a smile "Captain Riker Lynch," Riker introduced himself "and who are you?"

Laura smiled back slightly "Laura Marano."

"Nice to meet you, Laura Marano."

Ross rolled his eyes, typical Riker Lynch "Oh, don't start!"

Riker looked at Ross from where he laid "I was just saying hello!" He, sort of, snapped back. Laura then helped Riker up to the floor so he could stand, where then Ross and Riker stared at each other coldly "Ross."

"Captain." Ross said back.

"Good to see you."

Ross nodded "And you. How did you know I was there?" Ross asked.

Riker shrugged "Oh, I don't know. The police box kinda gives it away," Riker said "I've been following you for a long time. You abandoned me with the Dalek's and Ratliff."

"Oh!" Rocky said as if this was making all sense now as he sauntered over to the three of them "he abandoned you when he was with Ratliff," He smiled, looking at Ross "this all makes sense now!"

Ross rolled his eyes, looking back at Riker "Sorry. Busy life. Moved on. Thought you were dead. Obviously getting shot by a Dalek didn't kill you," He said "but.. Ratliff brought you back to life so that kinda explains it," Riker went to go say something, but Ross stopped him "no, I'll explain later how he did that. Now now."

"Speaking of ," Riker said, his face turned straight, more sad than anything "the Battle Of Canary Wharf.. I saw the list of the dead," he frowned "it said Ellington Ratliff.."

Ross's face stayed sad, until he remembered. He then smiled "Oh no! Sorry! He's alive!" Ross said happily.

"You're kidding?!" Riker said with the brightest smile on his face.

"Yeah, Parallel Word safe and sound," Ross told him "and Ryan! And his sister, Jenna!"

"Oh yes!" Riker then hugged Ross happily as they both laughed.

Laura, on the other hand, was none to happy to hear Ratliff's name again and to see what he meant to Riker and Ratliff. Why did he have to pop up everywhere they went? All it felt like was that she and Rocky were living in Ratliff's shadow. Replacing him "Good old Ratliff.." Laura said softly, yet aggravated.

Rocky looked down at Laura with a glare, hearing what she just said "Oh, get over it Laura," Rocky snapped quietly as Riker and Ross went on to talk about none other than Ratliff "they knew him for ages. Ross was in love with him, of course he's going to pop up anywhere we go and whoever meets us that use to travel with Ross. Maia met Ratliff. So if we met her, she'd bring him up. So stop being a fucking baby just because they prefer Ratliff more than you, okay? Build a bridge.. and get the FUCK over it!" He snapped louder before joining Riker and Ross to talk about whatever they were so happy about.

A small while later, Riker found himself walking alongside Laura talking to her whilst Rocky and Ross were walking in front of them "There I was, stranded in the year 200,100, ankle-deep in Dalek dust," Riker said, as he was talking to Laura "and he goes off without me. But I had this," he tapped the machine on his wrist "I used to be a Time Agent. It's called a vortex manipulator. He's not the only one who can time travel."

"Oh, excuse me," Ross started now "that is not time travel. It's like I've got a sports car and you've got a space hopper."

Laura laughed "Boys and their toys."

"Alright," Riker continued "so I bounced. I thought '21st century, best place to find Ross' except that I got it a little wrong. I arrived in 1869 and this thing burnt out so it was useless."

"Told you." Ross said.

Riker decided to ignore Ross at that point "I had to live through the entire 20th century waiting for one of you in on of your 13 lives - what are you on now? Like 11 or something? - that would coincide with me."

Rocky turned and looked at Riker with disbelief, walking backwards "That makes you more than 100 years old."

"And looking good, doncha think?" Riker asked, winking at Rocky. He then went onto explain further "so I went to the time rift, based myself there cause I knew you'd come back to refuel. Until finally I get a signal on this detecting you and here we are."

"But, the thing is," Laura said "how come you left him behind, Ross?"

"I was busy." Ross said.

"Is that what happens, though?" Laura asked, becoming slightly annoyed "seriously? Do you just get bored with us one day and disappear?"

Riker laughed "Not if you're a guy and have brown hair."

"Oh, he was brown haired?" Laura asked, sarcastically "Rocky's got brown hair!"

"You two!" Ross yelled over them both "we're at the end of the universe. Alright? We're at the edge of knowledge itself and you're busy... blogging! Come on."

Ross walked to the edge of a canyon, followed by the others. The canyon looked like it had once held a city or something. "Is that a city?" Rocky asked, looking down at it all.

"A city or a hive," Ross told "or a nest," he added "or a conglomeration," He also added soon after "looks like it was grown. But look there," He pointed "that's like pathways, roads... Must have been some sort of life. Long ago."

Rocky continued to stare down at it "What killed it?"

"Time. Just time. Everything's dying now. All the great civilizations have gone. This isn't just night," Ross said, looking up to the dark sky "all the stars have burned up and faded away into nothing."

Riker looked up to the sky, seeing what Ross meant. There was nothing up there. No stars. No moon. No sun. Nothing. Just complete darkness. "It must have an atmospheric shell. Otherwise, we should be frozen to death." He looked back down.

"Well, Rocky, Laura and I, maybe. Not so sure about you, Riker." Ross looked at Riker, knowingly. It's a long story, which more than likely Rocky, Laura or Riker himself will make Ross explain. Which would mean a painful flashback.

If you know what meant by painful.

"What about the people?" Laura asked "does no one survive?"

Ross shrugged "Suppose we have to hope... life will find a way."

"Well, he's not doing too bad." Rocky said who was looking over at a man, Padra, who was running along one of the pathways, barely ahead of the Futurekind. They were just hunters basically who went after humans and Padra was in the unfortunate event of being chased by them.

"Is it me, or does that looked like a hunt?" Ross asked as they were all looking over "come on!" Ross said, starting to run along with the others following.

Padra ran as the Futurekind were chasing him, whilst Ross, Riker, Rocky and Laura were all running along a roadway not too far from Padra himself. Riker laughed as they ran "Oh, I've missed this!" Riker said as he ran. They all reached Padra where Riker grabbed hold of him "I've got you."

"We've gotta run!" Padra said in panic "they're coming! They're coming!" He continued to run.

Riker just passed Padra over to Ross where he pulled out his revolver and aimed it at the Futurekind. Ross saw out of the corner of his eye "Riker, don't you dare!" Ross warned. He couldn't stop running to stop Riker from using it either. But to his luck, Riker aimed the gun into the air and fired it. Making the Futurekind stop, along with themselves.

"What the hell are they?" Rocky asked, looking at them from a distance.

"There's more of them," Padra said, trying to catch his breath "we've got to keep going."

Ross turned to Padra "I've got a ship nearby. It's safe. It's not far, it's just over there," Ross turned and pointed over the way they came where they saw more Futurekind coming over from where the TARDIS was "or maybe not.."

"We're close to the silo," Padra told them "if we get to the silo, then we're safe." Padra said, starting to run.

Ross turned to Riker, Rocky and Laura "Silo?" Ross asked before bolting off.

"I'm in!" Rocky said, already starting to run with Padra.

"Silo!" Riker then also started running.

"Silo for me!" Laura added before following.

The five of them continued to run for the silo with the Futurekind close behind them as fast as they could, finding themselves becoming short of breath. But at long last they arrived at a gated area with watchtowers and guards. "It's the Futurekind!" Padra shouted as they were coming up the the gate "open the gate!"

"Show me your teeth!" The guard shouted and kept repeating as the five of them came to the gate.

"Show them your teeth!" Padra said to the others.

Ross, Riker, Rocky and Laura became confused, but if it was going to get them to live then so be it. They gritted their teeth in a wide smile. "Human! Let them in! Let them in!" The guard called. They gate opened and the five of them ran inside "close! Close! Close!" The guard then fired his gun at the ground in front of the Futurekind as they came close to the gate.

"Humans. Humani. Make feast." One of the Futurekind people said.

"Go back to where you came from! I said go back! Go back!" The guard aimed his gun at them.

"Oh, don't tell him to put his gun down." Riker said to Ross.

Ross rolled his eyes "He's not my responsibility."

"And I am?" Riker scoffed "makes a change."

"Kind watch you. Kind hungry." The Chieftan said of the Futurekind. He turned around and signaled the others and they backed away.

The guard turned around from the gate "Right, let's get you inside."

Padra started talking to the guard as they all began to walk inside "My name in Padrafet Shafekane. Please tell me, can you take me to Utopia?" He asked.

"Oh yes, sir. Yes, I can."

The guard lead them all into a large tunnel that was carved into a mountain - which was the silo.

* * *

Ross, Rocky, Laura, Riker and Padra found themselves standing with someone called Atillo. As they were walking, Ross just kept on asking them about the TARDIS which was still out there with the future kind "It's a box," Ross went on "a big blue box. I'm sorry, but I really need it back. It's stuck out there."

"I'm sorry," Padra butted in to talk to Atillo "but my family were heading for the silo. Did they get here? My mother is Kristine Shafekane. My brother is Beltone."

"The computers are down, but you can check the paperwork. Creet!" Atillo shouted. That's when a boy, about ten years old, stuck his head around the corner "passenger needs help."

Creet, the ten year old boy, walked out from the corner and walked over "Right, what do you need?" He asked. Padra then walked over to Creet to look at his clipboard for his family.

Atillo turned around and faced Ross "A blue box, you said?"

Ross nodded "Big, tall, wooden. Says 'Police'." Ross told him.

"We're driving out for a last water collection. I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you."

Laura watched as Creet started taking Padra somewhere, Laura stopped the boy "Sorry, but how old are you?" Laura asked.

"Old enough to work," Creet said, turning round "this way."

They all followed Creet through corridors that were lined up with people camping. Obviously the people were wanting to go to this Utopia place. Wherever that was. Laura looked as people were just sat or laid on the floor "It's like a refugee camp.." Laura said.

"Stinking," Riker said as he passed a rather large man who was just staring at him "Oh, sorry. No offence."

"Don't you see that?" Ross asked "the ripe old smell of humans. You survived. Oh, much better than a million years evolving into clouds of gas. And then another million as downloads, but you always revert to the same basic shape. The fundamental humans," Ross went on as Creet and Padra continued in shouting for Padra's family "end of the universe and here you are. Indomitable! That's the word! Indomitable! Ha!"

Laura smiled "It's not all bad news.." She said as she watched Padra find his Mom and the rest of his family and reunite with them.

As Riker walked down the corridor, a little further ahead of Laura, a good-looking man started to pass by. Riker smiled as he done so "Captain Riker Lynch," Riker said, shaking the mans hand "and who are you?"

Ross was a little further away, in ear-shot of what Riker was doing, examining the door and using the sonic screwdriver to try open it "Stop it," Ross warned Riker "give me a hand with this," Ross said. Riker reluctantly let go of the man's hand before he, Rocky and Laura joined Ross at the door he was trying to open "it's half deadlock," Ross said "see if you can overwrite the code.." Riker then set to work on the keypad whilst Ross continued to use the screwdriver "let's find out where we are."

The door slid open, Ross went to go walk and have a look but he almost fell down into the silo, realising there was no floor. Riker grabbed Ross before he could fall down to his death "How did you cope without me?" Riker asked.

Rocky looked to where there was a giant rocket in front of them that looked like it could fit about a million people on. Rocky stared in amazement "Now that is what I call a rocket!" He said.

"They're not refugees," Ross said "they're passengers."

"He said they were going to Utopia." Laura said.

"The perfect place. 100 trillion years, it's still the same old dream," Ross said, looking up and down the silo at the rocket "do you recognise those engines?" He asked.

Riker shook his head as he looked at them "Nope. Whatever it is, it's not rocket science. But it's hot, though." He said wiping his forehead as he felt he was beginning to sweat.

"Boiling," Ross said, the four of them then stepped back whilst Riker shut the door "but if the universe is falling apart, what does Utopia mean?"

As they all turned around, they saw an old man with white hair coming towards them as fast as he could. When he got up to them, he looked between Rocky, Ross and Riker. He looked at Rocky "Ross?"

Ross shook his head "No.. that's me.." Ross said.

The old man, Yana, took Ross's hand and started to lead him away "Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good."

Ross looked back at the others as he was being dragged away "It's good apparently." He said. Rocky, Riker and Laura then started to follow where Ross was being dragged off to, not realising they were being watched by someone from behind.

Yana pulled Ross into some room that was full of machines, that was obviously for the rocket to work, and started to talk to him about it. Then he started showing him stuff around the room "This is the gravitissimal accelerator. It's part of the.."

As Riker, Rocky and Laura came into the room they were greeted by a women, who was obviously alien judging by the colour of her skin which was blue and her head. "Chan-welcome-tho." She said as they came into the room.

Meanwhile, Yana continued to talk to Ross "And over here is the footprint impellor system. If you know anything about end time gravity..."

"Hello," Laura said, introducing herself to the girl "who are you?"

"Chan-Chantho-tho." Chantho introduced herself.

Riker stepped forward and introduced himself to Chantho "Captain Riker Lynch."

"Stop it." Ross said from across the other side of the room.

Riker rolled his eyes "Can't I say hello anymore?"

"Chan-I do not protest-tho."

Riker looked at Chantho "Maybe later, Blue," Riker winked at her before walking over to where Ross and Yana were "so, what have we got?"

Before Riker had moved, Rocky and Laura could hear something coming from Riker's backpack. They looked at each other before following him, curious about the sound. "And all this feeds into the rocket?" Ross asked.

"Yeah," Yana said "except without a stable footprint we'll never achieve escape velocity. If only we could harmonize the five impact patterns and unify them, well, we might yet make it," Yana explained, he looked at Ross hopefully "what do you think, Ross? Any ideas?"

"Well, um, basically... not a clue.."

"Nothing?"

Ross shrugged with a small nod "I'm not from around these parts. I've never seen a system like it. Sorry."

"No, no," Yana said, dejected "I'm sorry. It's my fault. There's been so little help."

In the sitting area, Laura examined Riker's backpack while Rocky watched, making sure nobody came over and caught them. Otherwise Riker might just kill them for going in it. Laura unzipped the bag and pulled out a bubbling container.. which had a hand in it, making Laura scream and jump up and away from the table she'd just placed it on "Oh my god!" Laura screamed, the others came over to see what all the fuss was about, she turned to Riker "you've got a hand. A hand in a jar. A hand in a jar in your bag."

"That's-that's my hand!" Ross said, pointing to it in disbelief.

"I said I had a Ross detector." Riker said as if it was nothing.

"Chan-is this a tradition amongst your people-tho?" Chantho asked.

"Not on my street!" Rocky said, almost as creeped and freaked out as Laura, he looked at Ross "What do you mean that's your hand?" He asked "you've got both your hands, I can see them!"

"Long story," Ross said "I lost my hand Christmas Day. In a sword fight right after I got onto my 11th life."

_Having a sword fight with a Sycorax Leader wasn't exactly the best idea Ross had, had in a while, but you know if it was the only way to get rid of it then so be it. It was either him or Ratliff that did it, and he knows which one he would rather of had do it. Right now, he had Ratliff, Ryan, Jenna AND Emily watching him in horror, not knowing if he was going to win this thing. "Oh, I can't watch," Ratliff said, hiding behind Ryan "He's gonna get himself killed.."_

_Ross and the Sycorax Leader ran at each other, clashing swords. They both grimaced with effort, and then Ross was knocked backwards to the ground by the Sycorax. Taking the advantage of this, the Sycorax slashed at Ross's wrist in the attempt to knock the sword out of his hand, but he got more than he bargained for because he ended up taking off his FULL hand, where the sword fell off the side of the spaceship along with his hand. "Aw, man.." Ryan said, sounding like he was about to throw up "that's.. that's nasty."_

_Ross watched it drop before looking back up at the Sycorax leader, looking rather stunned and annoyed "You cut my hand off."_

_"YAH! Sycorax!" The Sycorax said very triumphantly._

_Ross then got to his feet "You know, it's a good thing I just got onto my eleventh life," He said "cause quite by chance.. I'm still within the fifteen hours of the cycle. Which means I've got just enough residual cellular energy... to do this.." He held up the stump of his arm, and before the eyes of the observers, it grew right back._

_"Witchcraft!"_

_"No, Time Lord," Ross corrected him "get it right Santa."_

_Ratliff looked around where he saw a sword poking out of one of the Sycorax's sheath, so he took it out quickly "ROSS!" Ratliff shouted._

_Ross turned around where Ratliff then tossed the sword to him. He caught it by the handle, spinning it around "Oh, so I'm still Ross, then?" Ross asked mockingly, due to a fight they had earlier before he moved onto his eleventh life and Ratliff just wouldn't call him Ross anymore for some reason._

_Ratliff just smiled up at him "No arguments from me."_

"What? You grew another hand?" Rocky asked.

"Um yeah. Yeah I did. Yeah. Hello." Ross waved his hand at Rocky, the one he had cut off. He waved with a smile. Due to that was the ONLY happy flashback he's had of Ratliff in a long while.

"Might I ask, what species are you?" Yana asked, looking at Ross

"Time Lord," Ross said looking at Yana "last of. Hear of them? Legend or anything? Not even a myth?" Yana shook his head "jesus christ, the end of the universe is a bit humbling."

Chantho then started to talk, she didn't know if it would help Ross feel better about him being the very LAST of his kind "Chan-It is said that I am the last of my species too-tho."

"Sorry, what was your name?" Ross asked.

"My assistant and good friend, Chantho," Yana said, speaking for Chantho rather than her explain "a survivor of the Malmooth. This was their planet, Malcassairo, before we took refugee."

"The city outside, that was yours?"

"Chan-the conglomeration died-tho."

"Conglomeration! That's what I said!" Ross said, turning around to Riker, Rocky and Laura.

Riker rolled his eyes with his arms folded "You're suppose to say sorry."

"Oh yes," Ross turned around, facing Chantho "sorry."

Chantho smiled "Chan-most grateful-tho."

"You grew another hand?" Laura asked in disbelief again. She just had to make sure, cause.. this all just seemed creepy to her and freaked her out a whole lot.

Ross rolled his eyes, he waved his hand again "Hello again. It's fine. Look. Really, it's me." Ross held out his hand and wiggled his fingers before shaking Laura's hand.

Laura laughed nervously as she shook it "All this time and you're still full of surprises."

"So," Riker said, diverting the attention away from Ross's hand and whatever other species everyone was in this room "what about those things outside?" Riker asked, referring to the Futurekind "the Beastie Boys. What are they?"

"We call them the Futurekind," Yana said "which is a myth in itself, but, uh, it is feared they are what we will become. Unless we reach Utopia."

Ross looked at Yana puzzled "And, Utopia is..?"

Yana looked at Ross as if he was mad "Oh, every human knows of Utopia. Where have you been?"

"Bit of a hermit."

"A hermit with friends?"

"Hermits United," Ross started "we meet up every ten years. Swap stories about caves. It's good fun.. for a hermit," Ross shook his head, he had no idea where the hell that was going and it was about time it stopped "so, um, Utopia?"

Yana crooked his finger and lead them all to a computer that showed a navigational chart with a blinking red dot "The call came from across the stars over and over again. Come to Utopia," Yana told them "originated from that point."

Ross looked at what Yana was showing them "Where is that?"

"Oh, it's far beyond the Condensate Wilderness. Out towards the wild lands and the dark matter reefs. Calling us in. The last of the humans. Scattered across the night."

Ross looked at Yana "What do you think's out there?" He asked.

Yana shrugged "I don't know," he admitted "a colony, a city, some sort of haven? The Science Foundation created the Utopia Project thousands of years ago to preserve mankind-to find a way of surviving beyond the collapse of reality itself. Now perhaps they found it. Perhaps not. But's worth a look, don't you think?"

"Oh yes.."

Yana was listening to Ross speak, when all of a sudden Ross's voice started to fade out and the sound of drumming in his head started becoming louder. Ross just kept on talking, not noticing "And the signals keep modulating, so it's not automatic. There's a good sign. Someone's out there. And tj  
that's... ooh, that's a navigation matrix, isn't it? So you can fly without stars to guide you," Ross looked at Yana, where he noticed something was wrong with him "Professor? Professor?"

The drumming in Yana's head didn't stop, it just quieted down enough so he could speak and concentrate "I-Right, that's enough talk. There's work to do," Yana said "now if you could leave. Thank you." Yana walked away.

"You alright?" Ross asked.

"Yes. I'm fine. And busy!"

"Except, that rocket's not going to fly, is it?" Ross said, looking at Yana "this footprint mechanism thing, it's not working."

"We'll find a way!"

Ross went on to talk, even though he knew it was just going to feel like the plan for them to get to Utopia would fail "You're stuck on this planet. And you haven't told them, have you?" Ross asked "that lot out there, they still think they're gonna fly."

"Well, it's better to let them live in hope."

Ross nodded, agreeing with them "Quite right, too. And I must say, Professor," Ross removed his coat, Riker took it as Ross passed him "um, what was it?"

"Yana."

"Professor Yana. This new science is well beyond me, but all the same, a boost reversal circuit, in any time frame, must be a circuit which reverses the boost. So, I wonder, what would happen if I did this?" Ross picked up the circuit and used the sonic screwdriver on it, before switching it on giving them power.

"Chan-it's working-tho!" Chantho said happily with a smile.

Yana looked at Ross confused "But how did you do that?" He asked.

"Oh, we've been chatting away. I forgot to tell you, I'm brilliant." Ross smiled.

As soon as the power was restored, within minutes families were getting their items together and getting ready to enter the rocket to set off on their journey to Utopia. In the lab, everyone was working away at different controls to make sure the whole thing worked and nothing failed. In the engine control room, Atillo hit some switches on the banks of the machinery and above, the gates opened to allow the water tanker in. Atillo looked into a second room that contained five cylinders whilst repeating over the intercom "All passengers prepare for immediate boarding. I repeat, all passengers prepare for immediate boarding."

Meanwhile, as everyone was boarding, Laura and Chantho were heading in the opposite direction from the queues carrying circuit boards and families going aboard the rocket. That was when Laura spotted the little 10 year old kid, Creet, "Excuse me," Laura said going up to him "hey, what was your name? Creet?"

Creet looked up at Laura and nodded "That's right, miss."

"Who are you with, Creet?" Laura asked, looking down at him "you got family?"

Creet shook his head "No, miss. There's just me."

Laura smiled at him, even though she found it sad he had no family to be with going to Utopia "Well, good luck," She said "what do you think it's going to be like in Utopia?"

Creet smiled "My mum used to say the skies are made of diamonds."

"Good for her," She said "go on, off you go. Get your seat."

Creet continued on into the rocket while Chantho and Laura passed by.

Still not knowing they were being watched.

Ross and Yana both worked on either side of a large clear circuit board in the centre of the lab. Ross had a cord in his hand, it smelt weird. He brought it up to his nose and smelt it "Is this..?"

"Yes," Yana said "gluten extract. Binds the neutralino map together."

"But that's food," Ross said "you've built this system out of food and string and staples," he looked at Yana and smiled "Oh, Professor Yana, you're a genius."

Yana laughed "Says the man who made it work."

Ross shrugged "Ooh.. it's easy coming in at the end but.. you're stellar. This is.. this is magnificent. I don't often say that cause.. well, cause of me."

"Well, even my title is an affectation," Yana said "there hasn't been such a thing as a university for over a thousand years. I've spent my life going from one refugee ship to another."

Ross looked at Yana "If you had been born in a different time, you'd be revered," Ross said, causing Yana to chuckle "I mean it. Throughout the galaxies."

"Oh, those damned galaxies. They had to go and collapse. Some admiration would have been nice. Just a little. Just once."

"Well you've got it now," Ross smiled "but that footprint engine thing. You can't activate it from onboard. It's gotta be from here. You're staying behind?"

Yana nodded "With Chantho. She won't leave without me. Simply refuses."

"You would give your life so they could fly."

Yana nodded again with a small smile "Oh, I think I'm a little too old for Utopia. Time I had some sleep."

Atillo then interrupted their conversation by speaking over the intercom "Professor, tell Ross we've found his blue box."

"Ross." Riker said from the other side of the room by the monitor.

Ross and Yana joined Riker by the monitor that showed the TARDIS, safely inside the silo. Ross smiled brightly, patting Yana on the shoulder "Professor, it's a wild stab in the dark, but I may just have found you a way out." Ross left, running into the TARDIS.

Yana watched Ross as he went into the TARDIS. As he looked at the TARDIS, the drums in his head came back and started beating louder. Ross brought out a long power line from the TARDIS and into the lab "Extra power," Ross said, inserting into the outlet "little bit of a cheat, but who's counting? Riker, you're in charge of the retro-feeds."

Laura and Chantho then returned back into the lab "Oh, am I glad to see that thing again." Laura said as she saw the TARDIS.

Rocky got up from where he was sat and walked over to Laura, looking at the TARDIS also "Me too," He said "there was me thinking I'd be stuck in the future forever."

Chantho looked over at Professor Yana who was sat down, she immediately went over to him "Chan-Professor, are you alright-tho?" She asked.

Yana nodded "Yes, I'm fine. I'm fine," He spoke stronger than he was before "I'm fine. Just get on with it."

Riker started working, with the help of Rocky "Connect those circuit into the spar-same as the last lot. But quicker."

Rocky nodded "Got it!" He said, going to do as Riker asked. Well.. more or less ordered.

Ross went over to Yana, realising something really wasn't right with him "You don't have to keep working. We can handle it." Ross said.

Yana shook his head "It's just a headache. Just-Just noise inside my head, Ross. Constant noise inside my head."

"What sort of noise?"

"It's The sound of Drums. More and more.. as though.. it's getting closer."

"When did it start?" Ross asked, becoming curious as his suspicion started to rise.

"Oh, I've had it all my life. Every waking hour. Still, no rest for the wicked." Yana then stood from where he was sat and went back to working.

Ross just watched Yana as he done so.

There was something seriously up with that Professor.

And it wasn't good.

**Next Time: **Utopia: Part 2

**Then: **The Sound Of Drums

**Later: **Last Of The Time Lords

**After: **Partners In Crime

* * *

**Just so you know, that is not the end of the flashbacks. I think there's another in the next chapter that kind of explains something about Ratliff that I never really got cleared up before he left. It'll be a moment between Riker & Ross when they start talking about something. \o/**

**Hope you liked this chapter :)  
**

**5 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE**


	28. Utopia: The Sound Of Drums

_Flashbacks/Echoing voices_

**_Utopia: The Sound Of Drums_**

"I'm here! We're ready!" Yana said through the computer to Atillo who was in the control room to the rocket. They'd finished doing most of the things they needed too, now there was just one more thing they needed to do before the rocket set off "now all you need to do is connect the couplings. Then we can launch," all of a sudden Yana lost connection with Atillo "god sakes! This equipment! Needs rebooting all the time!"

Laura sauntered over to where Yana was, seeing Rocky, Riker and Ross were still working, whereas her and Chantho were finished on the circuit board they were working on "Anything I can do?" Laura asked "I've finished doing that lot with Chantho."

"Yes, if you could," Yana got up out of his seat, just so Laura could sit on it "just press the reboot key every time that picture goes out."

Laura nodded "Certainly sir. Just don't ask me to do shorthand." She said, looking back at the computer.

Within seconds, Atillo came back onto the screen "Are you still there?"

Yana got back in front of the screen, just behind Laura "Ah, present and correct," He said "send your man inside. We'll keep the levels down from here."

In the control room, Atillo slid open the doors for the man he had to go inside the coupling room. The man, Jate, was wearing a hazmat suit as he went in. "He's inside," Atillo said through the computer to Yana "and good luck to him."

Yana turned round to Riker "Captain, keep the levels below red."

"Where is that room?" Ross asked, referring to the one Jate had just gone into.

"It's underneath the rocket. Fix the couplings and the footprint can work. But the entire chamber is flooded with stet radiation." Yana explained.

"Stet? Never heard of it."

"You wouldn't want to. But it's safe enough. We can hold the radiation back from here," Yana and Ross then watched through the monitor as Jate worked on the couplings. Atillo watched from the window where an alarm began to sound. Yana looked over to Riker "it's rising.. 0.2 keep it level!"

"Yes, sir!" Riker said.

Jate moved onto the second coupling that was in the room. And all of a sudden more fuses went off which caused the alarms to go off, almost like someone was making them go off. "Chan-we're losing power-tho!" Chantho said.

"Radiations rising!" Ross called a short while later, after more fuses had gone off.

"We've lost control!" Riker shouted.

"The chamber's going to flood." Yana said.

"Riker!" Ross shouted, turning round to him "override the vents!"

Jate kept on working, with no idea as to what was going on. Meanwhile, Atillo watched on the other side of the door full of panic "Jate! Get out of there! Get out!"

Back in the lab, Riker took hold of two of the live cables "We can jump start the override!" Riker said, holding both the cables together.

Ross's eyes widened "Don't! It's going to flare!" Ross shouted.

Riker then screamed in pain as the power from the two cables put together coursed through him. Everyone else in the room, Rocky, Ross, Yana, Laura and Chantho, all watched helplessly as Riker then fell to the floor, out like a light.

"Jate, get out of there!" Atillo kept on shouting through the door "get out!" within the suit, Jate's body all of a sudden disintegrated and the suit fell to the floor. Atillo's eyes widened "NO!" He screamed.

Laura rushed over to Riker's side "I've got him."

Whilst everyone rushed over to Riker, Ross watched unperturbed. Yana walked over to Ross, looking at him regretfully and with sorrow for the "death" of his friend "Oh, I'm so sorry." Yana apologised.

"The chambers flooded with radiation, yes?" Ross asked.

Laura started doing mouth-to-mouth on Riker, to try revive him, whilst Yana and Ross talked. "Without the couplings, the engines will never start," Yana said "it was all for nothing!"

"Oh, I don't know," Ross said. He walked forward "Laura, leave him." Ross pulled her up to her feet gently, away from Riker.

"You've gotta let me try." Laura said, looking from Ross to Riker's body on the floor.

"Just leave him alone," Ross said, gently pushing Laura away, over to Rocky. He then looked to Yana "it strikes me, Professor, you've got a room a man can't enter without dying. Is that correct?"

Yana nodded "Yes."

"Well.." Ross said as Riker gasped for breath, coming back to life. Ross looked down at Riker "I've got just the man." He said with a smile.

Riker sat up on the floor, looking around confused "Was someone kissing me?"

Moments later, Ross and Riker raced through the silo to the control room side by side as fast as they could to reach it and Atillo to get the rocket flying. They burst through into the control room where Ross started talking to Atillo "Lieutenant, get onboard the rocket!" Ross said "I promise you're gonna fly!"

"The chamber's flooded!" Atillo said

"Trust me. We've found a way of tripping the system. Run!" Ross told him, Atillo then left the control room where Riker started removing his shirt. Ross looked at him puzzled, speaking puzzled too "Wh-what are you taking your clothes off for?" He asked.

"I'm going in."

"Well, by the looks of it, I'd say that stet radiation doesn't effect clothing, only flesh." Ross said, flinging Riker's shirt back at him.

"I look good though," Riker said going over to the door. He then stopped at it, turning back to Ross "how long have you known?" Riker asked, referring to how Riker was pretty much immortal.

"Ever since I ran away from you," Ross said, looking at him a little distance away from the door "now, good luck."

Riker then entered the room, going straight over to the couplings whilst Ross watched him from the window on the door.

Rocky went over to the computer where they could speak to Ross and Riker through it about how getting the couplings to work was going "We lost picture when that thing flared up," Rocky said, pointing over to the wires Riker kindly electrocuted himself with "Ross, are you there?"

"Receiving, yeah. He's inside." Ross said through the computer, still at the door looking at Riker as he worked.

"And still alive?"

"Oh, yes."

Yana became confused "But he should evaporate. What sort of man is he?"

Laura shrugged "We've only just met him," She said "Ross sort of travels through time and space and picks people up."

"Laura, you make us sound like stray dogs." Rocky said, resting with his chin in his hands at the computer screen watching Riker and Ross.

"Maybe we are."

"He travels in time?" Yana asked. All of a sudden, Yana looked away distractedly.

"Don't ask us to explain it," Rocky said "that's a TARDIS," Rocky pointed over to the TARDIS "the sports car of time travel he says."

Yana started to hear Rocky's voice echo through his head.

_"That's a TARDIS. That's a TARDIS. That's a TARDIS."_

"When did you first realise?" Ross asked Riker.

"Earth 1892," Riker started to explain as he worked, boy this was going to be a long explanation "got in a fight on Ellis Island. A man shot me through the heart. Then I woke up. Thought it was kinda strange. But then it never stopped. Fell off a cliff, trampled by horses, World War 1, World War 2, poison, strangulation, a stray javelin.." Ross winced "..in the end, I got the message, I'm the man who can never die. And all that time you knew."

"That's why I left you behind," Ross said "it's not easy even just.. just looking at you Riker, cause you're wrong."

"Thanks."

"You are, I can't help it. I'm a Time Lord. It's instinct. It's in my guts. You're a fixed point in time and space. You're a fact. That's never meant to happen. Even the TARDIS reacted against you-tried to shake you off. Flew all the way to the end of the universe just to get rid of you."

"So what you're saying is that you're uh," Riker finished off the third coupling, moving onto the fourth and final one "prejudiced?"

"I never thought of it like that."

"Yeah."

In the lab, Rocky, Laura and Chantho listened onto Riker and Ross's conversation whilst Yana stood behind them, staring at the TARDIS.

"Last thing I remember back when I was mortal," Riker started "I was facing three Dalek's. Death by extermination. And then I came back to life. What happened?" Riker asked.

"Ratliff." Ross said.

"I thought you sent him back home?" Riker asked, remembering what happened that day.

"He came back," Ross said "he opened the heart of the TARDIS and absorbed the time vortex."

"What does that mean, exactly? Can you tell me what happened?"

Ross sighed, rolling his eyes slightly. This was why he never wanted to tell Riker, cause it would result in painful flashbacks "No one's ever meant to have that power," Ross started "if a Time Lord did that, he'd become a god, a vengeful god. But he was human."

_In the TARDIS, Ratliff stepped forward to look into the light that was shining from it. Bright white, golden light. It reflected onto his face so he shone with a golden light. A breeze blew around and suddenly, the light started to flow into his eyes with two golden streams._

_"RATLIFF!" Jenna shouted. She rushed towards the TARDIS, but the doors slammed shut before she could reach it._

_Emily covered her mouth with shock. She then pulled Jenna back as the engines of the TARDIS groaned to life, and the TARDIS dematerialised with rays of light shining from the windows and a wind blowing up around it.. and then it was gone. Emily looked at Jenna, completely bewildered by this. Jenna started breathing very heavily, staring at the spot where it had disappeared._

_The golden time vortex streamed into Ratliff's eyes as he stared into is as though hypnotised, as the TARDIS flew through the vortex at an unnatural speed._

_The Dalek's advanced on Riker, making him backed up against a wall with no weapon to defend himself with as he was face to face with three Dalek's. "Exterminate!" A Dalek Said._

_Riker nodded "I kinda figured that." He opened his arms slightly, ready to be shot._

_The Dalek fired at Riker, and he slumped down against the wall. Dead._

_Ross pulled up a lever of the device he had put together to destroy ALL of the Dalek spaceships flying about "It's ready!" He said amazed. He looked up as Dalek's began to file up into the room, surrounding him "you really wanna think about this," Ross said "cause if I activate the signal, every living creature dies."_

_"I am immortal." The Emperor Dalek, who was WAY bigger than the regular Dalek's and the colour red, said through the screen that was displayed on the wall._

_"Wanna put that to the test?"_

_"I want to see you become like me," The Emperor Dalek said "hail Ross, the Great Exterminator."_

_Ross became angry, placing his hand on the lever "I'll do it!"_

_"Then prove yourself, Ross. What are you - coward or killer?"_

_Ross's hand tensed up on the lever where he started to shake and his face screwed up in pain. Then, he just let go "Coward. Any day." He said._

_"Mankind will be harvested because of your weakness."_

_"And what about me?" Ross asked "am I becoming one of your angels?"_

_"You are the Heathen. You will be exterminated."_

_"Maybe it's time.." Ross said, unresisting._

_Ross then closed his eyes, ready to be killed by the Dalek's as they all lined up around him. Suddenly, one of the Dalek's eye pieces swiveled round at the sound of the TARDIS engines. "Alert! TARDIS materialising!" A Dalek said._

_Ross's eyes snapped open and he spun around to see it materialising, in shock. "You will not escape!" The Dalek Emperor said._

_The TARDIS had fully materialised and the doors flew open, Ross had to throw a hand over his eyes as blinding golden light of the time vortex poured out of it. In the doorway, Ratliff stood there and Ross just stared at him, awestruck as the light curled around Ratliff when he stepped forwards. Ross stumbled backwards, falling to the ground "What've you done?!" Ross asked, scared._

_Ratliff gazed down at Ross, his eyes full of the light from the time vortex. When he spoke, his accent -whatever accent he had - had vanished completely and turned into this echoey, robotic type voice, but still human "I looked into the TARDIS. And the TARDIS looked into me." Ratliff said._

_"You looked into the Time Vortex - Ratliff, no one's meant to see that!"_

_"This is an abomination!" The Emperor Dalek said._

_"Exterminate!" A Dalek near by said._

_The Dalek fired at Ratliff, who held up his hand. The bolt froze and reversed back into the gun the Dalek fired from, blowing it up. Ross looked at what happened in amazement, he stared up at Ratliff intensely. "I am the Bad Wolf," Ratliff continued on saying "I create myself. I take the words..." the words 'BAD WOLF CORPORATION' were written high on the wall, Ratliff waved his hand "I scatter them in time and space," the words 'Bad Wolf' rose from the wall and floated away "a message to lead myself here."_

_"Ratliff, you've got to stop this!" Ross said urgently, knowing that if he didn't stop soon Ratliff would die "you've got to stop this now!" because if he didn't, Ratliff's mind would burn and he would die. Ratliff just stared straight ahead as though he hadn't heard him, making Ross become wildly concerned "you've got the entire vortex running through your head. You're gonna burn!"_

_Ratliff suddenly looked down at Ross "I want you safe," He said. Ross was taken aback, he just stared at Ratliff who had the traces of tears on his cheeks "My Ross. Protected from the false God."_

_"You cannot hurt me. I am immortal." The Emperor Dalek said._

_"You are tiny," Ratliff said, looking over to where the Emperor Dalek was "I can see the whole of time and space - every single atom of your existence, and I divide them," he raised his hand, the Dalek that was sat in the centre was then separated into golden, liquid-like particles "everything must come to dust.. all things. Everything dies," he looked to the side where all the Dalek's that were lined up there were all reduced to golden particles "the Time War ends."_

_The Emperor Dalek's voice then raised in fear "I will not die. I cannot die!" it's eye then screwed up._

_The entire mother ship that had all the Dalek's on was soon reduced to the liquid-like golden particles, dissolving away into oblivion._

_Ratliff stood with both of his arms raised, starting straight ahead of him, shaking. Ross looked up to Ratliff now that the Dalek's were all gone "Ratliff, you've done it. Now stop. Just let go." Ross begged._

_"How can I let go of this? I bring life.." He said hushed, blissfully._

_Riker suddenly took a huge intake of breath as his eyes snapped open, coming back to life._

"Everything he did was so human," Ross continued to explain "he brought you back to life but he couldn't control it. He brought you back forever. That's something, I suppose. The final act of the Time War was life." Ross explained to Riker.

Rocky, Laura and Chantho continued to watch Ross and Riker on the screen, listening to their explanation which was starting to make Laura feel a lot more sympathy for Ross losing Ratliff. Yana's eyes immediately snapped to the screen when Ross said 'Time War'.

_"Time War. Time War. Time War." _Ross's words echoed around Yana's head.

Riker looked over to Ross as he was still working "Think he could change me back?" Riker asked.

"I took the power out of him."

_Ross looked up to Ratliff terrified "But this is wrong! You can't control life and death!"_

_Ratliff looked down at Ross again "But I can. The sun and the moon.. the day and night," his voice then started to tremble "but why do they hurt..?" He asked, voice trembling._

_"The power's gonna kill you and it's all my fault.." Ross said desperately, lowering his head with anguish._

_"I can see everything," Ratliff said a tear fell down his face, Ross raised his head again to look at him "all that is... all that was... all that ever could be."_

_Ross stood up from the abruptly, look at Ratliff as if suddenly he understands "That's what I see. All the time. And does it drive you mad?"_

_Suddenly, Ratliff started becoming scared as he felt his head starting to get hotter and hotter as it was slowly killing him "My head..." Ratliff said scared._

_"Come here.." Ross said, standing towards him._

_"...it's killing me..."_

_Ross took both of his hands and stepped in front of him so he was looking directly at him "It's okay, I'm here.." He said._

_They slowly stepped round to face each other. Ross gazed down into Ratliff's eyes, and then gently, carefully, leaning in and pressing his lips against Ratliff's. As he kissed Ratliff, the Time Vortex flew out of Ratliff's eyes and into Ross's own. They slowly parted from one another and gazed at each other for a few moments before Ratliff's eye's fluttered closed, falling into Ross's arms unconscious._

_He laid him carefully down on the floor before standing up straight and facing the TARDIS calmly where he slowly exhaled and the Time Vortex expelled from his mouth and streamed back through the doors into the TARDIS. Ross opened his eyes as the doors shut quietly and the TARDIS returned to looking normal for once, he smiled softly to himself before kneeling down over Ratliff on the floor, stroking his face and neck tenderly._

"He's _gone_, Riker," Ross said and looked at Riker, trying not to look hurt or sad, but it really wasn't working "he's not just living in a Parallel World, he's trapped there. The walls have closed. _Forever_. He's never coming back."

Riker looked down at the couplings he was working on sadly "I'm sorry.."

"Yeah.."

"I went back to his estate, in the 90s," Riker admitted with a small smile "just once or twice. Watched him growing up. Never said hello, timelines and all that."

Ross decided to divert the attention away from this subject to something else "Do you wanna die?"

"I thought I did," Riker said "I don't know. But this lot, you see them surviving and that's fantastic." Riker then moved onto the last coupling.

"You might be out there somewhere."

"I could go meet myself."

Ross shrugged with a slight smile "Well, the only man you're ever gonna be happy with."

"Your on your eleventh life, Ross," Riker said "you've only got 2 more to go.. and out of all of your 13 lives.. I have to say this one.. this one is definitely the most cheeky." Ross just let out a small laugh.

_"13 lives. 13 lives. 13 lives." _Riker's words now were also starting to echo around Yana's head.

Rocky shook his head as he watched on the computer screen "I never understood half the things he says," Rocky turned around and noticed something wrong with Yana "what's wrong?" He asked.

Chantho, Laura and Rocky all went over to Yana in concern "Chan-Professor, what is it-tho?" Chantho asked.

"Time travel," Yana said "they say there was time travel back in the old days. I never believed. But what would I know? I'm just a stupid old man. Never could keep time. Always late, always lost. Even this thing never worked." Yana then pulled out a fobwatch from his waistcoat pocket.

Rocky and Laura's eyes widened as they remember Ross having something like that.. not too long ago either.

_"This ALL depends on you two!" Ross said, as he dived below the console of the TARDIS whilst Laura and Rocky watched on in confusion, as they were being chased by people and no matter what they did they could **NOT** get away from them. "What does? What are we supposed to do?!" Laura asked._

_Ross reappeared from below the TARDIS holding an ornate pocket watch aloft. "Take this **watch**, cause my **life** depends on it. The watch, Laura, Rocky- The **watch** **is** **me**. I'm going to become **human**."_

_Rocky took the watch from Ross "What? How long for and WHY?!"_

_"Only for around 3 months," Ross said, starting to go around the console "it'll be fine I promise. **EVERY Time Lord has one**, and when they're in **trouble** they turn themselves into a human to **get away from someone they're running from**. But, seen as though **I am the last Time Lord** in existence.. I'm the **only** **one** that has one. And the only way I'll **remember** being a Time Lord and who I am now, is if I **open it**. Okay?"_

"Time and time again. Always running out on me." Yana said.

Laura felt herself beginning to shake a little "Can.. Can I have a look at it?" Laura asked. This couldn't be possible... he couldn't be. Could he?

"Oh, it's only an old relic," Yana chuckled "like me."

Rocky also looked down at the watch, not taking his eyes from it "Where did you get it?" Rocky asked.

"I was found with it."

Rocky's head shot up, his eyes meeting Yana's "What do you mean?"

"An orphan in the storm. I was a naked child found on the coast of the Silver Devastation. Abandoned with only this."

"H-have you opened it?" Laura asked.

"Why would I? it's broken."

"How do you know if it's broken if you've never opened it?"

Yana tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge one bit "It's stuck. It's old. It's not meant to be. I don't know."

Rocky took the watch from Yana and turned it over where he and Laura both looked it, on the other side it bared the same engravings as Ross's, the same patter he has on the watch he had, the same as he has on the monitor in the TARDIS when he's not using it. Laura stepped back and breathed nervously. "Does it matter?" Yana asked.

"No. It's.. nothing. It's.." Laura couldn't even find words at the moment.

"Listen, everything's fine up here," Rocky said, giving Yana back the watch "we're gonna see if Ross needs us." with that, Rocky took Laura's hand and they ran to the control room as fast as they could.

Riker released the last coupling "Yes!"

"Now get out of there! Come on!" Ross told him. When Riker re-entered the control room, Ross called Atillo from the control room up into the rocket "Lieutenant, everyone on board?" He asked.

"Ready and waiting." Atillo said.

"Stand by! Two minutes to ignition." Ross hung up.

"Ready to launch," Atillo said through the rocket, it also echoing throughout the silo "outer doors sealed. Countdown commences T minus 99... 98.."

Ross and Riker were both stood at the controls, controlling the rocket and making sure everything was okay before it took off when Rocky and Laura burst through into the room. Ross took a quick glance over to them "Nearly there," He said "the footprint is a gravity pulse. It stamps down, the rocket shoots up. Bit primitive. It's gonna take the both of us to keep it stable."

Rocky moved in front Ross as he worked "Ross, it's the Professor," He said "he's got this watch. He's got a fobwatch. It's the same as yours. Same writing on it. Same.. everything."

Ross gave Rocky a look, as if to say Rocky was some big idiot "Don't be ridiculous."

"Rocky asked him," Laura stepped in "He said he's had it all his life."

"So he's got the same watch." Riker said as if it was nothing as he continued to work.

"Yeah," Rocky said, turning round to Riker "but it's not a watch. It's this chameleon thing."

All of a sudden Ross became flustered "No, no, no. It's this.. this thing, this device, it rewrites biology, changes a Time Lord into a human."

"And it's the same watch."

"It can't be." Ross said. An alarm blared throughout the room, so Ross went over to go try and fix it.

Riker continued to work, but he looked at Ross with a smile "That means he could be a Time Lord! You might not be the last one after all."

"Riker, keep it level!"

"But that's brilliant, isn't it?" Laura asked Ross. Getting past the nervousness and the scariness of it, she finally came into light to see that it could be a good thing Ross isn't the only left of his kind.

"Yes, it is. Course it is," Ross started to say "depends which one. Brilliant, fantastic, yeah. but they died, the Time Lords. All them, they died." Ross felt like he was becoming overwhelmed and way too panicked about this. He took a deep breath and looked at Rocky, seen as though he appeared to know more about this than Laura "what did he say, Rocky?" Ross asked, Rocky took too long to answer "What did he say!?" Ross yelled.

Rocky jumped a little as Ross yelled at him "He looked at the watch like he could hardly see it. Like that perception filter thing."

"What about now?" Ross asked panicked with wide eyes "can he see it now?"

Yana held the watch in his hand, when different voices started echoing in his head. Riker, Ross's, and.. someone else's voice.

_"Time War. The Time vortex."_

A low evil laugh then echoed around his head. Next Riker's voice started echoing around his head _"13 lives. 13 lives."_

Then.. the strangers voice started echoing around his head. _"The drums, the drums, the drums. The never-ending drumbeat. Open me, you human fool. Open the light and summon me and receive my majesty."_

_"Destroy him! And you will give your power to me!"_

Chantho looked over to Yana with concern "Chan-Yana, won't you please take some rest-tho?" She asked.

"If he escaped the Time War the it's the perfect place to hide," Riker continued to go on "the end of the universe."

Laura looked at Ross "Think of what the Face of Boe said. His last dying words. He said.."

Ross launched the rocket. But up in the lab, Yana opened up the watch and released it's contents. Ross, in the control room, knew what Yana had just done as he felt it.

That's when he remembered the Face of Boe's words..

He made the connected between his words and Yana's name.

"You," the word 'Y' was typed into the computer "Are," then 'A' was typed into the computer "Not," then 'N' "Alone," then 'A' again.

"Yana" then blinked on the computer screen in front of Ross. 'You Are Not Alone'. AKA...

Y.A.N.A

Ross grabbed the phone to the rocket "Lieutenant, have you achieved velocity? Have you done it? Lieutenant! Have you done it?" Ross asked, seeming on edge.

"Affirmative," Atillo said through the phone on the rocket "we'll see you in Utopia."

"Good luck."

Ross hung up the phone and started making a run from the control room, up to the lab where Yana and Chantho were, followed by Rocky, Riker and Laura.

Yana threw a lever that closed the main door before Ross could even get to the lab. "Chan-but you've locked them in-tho." Chantho said.

Ross got out his sonic screwdriver to try open the door whilst Riker got working on the keypad. "Get it open! Get it open!" Ross shouted as the two of them worked.

"Not to worry, my dear," Yana said to Chantho, no longer the genial man he was before "as one door closes, another must open." He threw another that switch.

That switch was the power to the main gate. When the power to the main gate went down, the Futurekind who were outside realised they could get into kill everyone was still in there.

"Chan- you must stop -tho!" Chantho said. Yana ignored Chantho as he started to work various controls around the lab "Chan-but you've lowered the defences! The Futurekind will get in-tho!"

Riker managed to get the door open where the four of them ran through, once again making their way up to the lab.

"Chan- Professor, I'm so sorry but I must stop you. You're destroying all our work-tho."

Yana turned around from what he was doing, seeing Chantho holding up a gun towards him "Oh.. now I can I was provoked." he then held out one of the live cables towards Chantho.

Going down he halls, Ross, Rocky, Laura and Riker all ran into the Futurekind, which forced them to backtrack.

Yana still held the sparkling cable to Chantho "Did you never think, in all those years standing beside me, to ask about that watch?" Yana asked "never? Did you never think, not ever, that you could set me free?" He asked, backing Chantho away from him as she whimpered "and you with your 'chan' and your 'tho' driving me insane."

"Chan-Yana, please-"

"That's not my name!" Yana snapped "Yana.. was an invention. So perfect of a name for a disguise that I forgot who I am."

"Chan-who are you-tho?" Chantho asked.

Yana spoke in a low whisper "I am.. the Master." He then thrusted the cable forwards to Chantho.

The Futurekind chased Ross, Rocky, Riker and Laura through the corridors until Riker stopped at an intersecting hallway "This way!" Riker called.

The Master, Yana, knelt and reached out to take the canister that contained Ross's hand in it.

Speaking of which, Ross, Riker, Laura and Rocky all arrived at the locked lab door. Riker once again started working on the keypad whilst Ross looked through the window "Professor!" Ross started pounding on the window "Professor, let me in! Let me in! Riker, get the door open!"

The Master walked up to the computer that displayed the navigational chart for Utopia. "Professor, Professor, where are you?!" Ross asked, seen as though he couldn't see where he was in the room "are you there?! please, I need to explain! Whatever you do, don't open that watch!"

The Master then removed the circuit boards "Utopia.." He said, condescendingly.

Rocky looked behind where he saw the Futurekind coming towards them "They're coming!" He shouted.

"PROFESSOR!" Ross shouted. The Master pulled the cables from the TARDIS whilst Ross continued on shouting for him "Open the door, please! I'm begging you! Professor! Please! Listen to me!"

Chantho, who was lying on the ground, reached for the gun. "Open the door, please!" Ross begged.

The Master turned and Chantho fired the gun, the Master groaned and staggered back against the TARDIS. Riker hit with the keypad with the butt of his revolver and the doors opened. Why didn't he do this before or earlier? It'd of moved things along a lot more faster.

Ross rushed inside of the room where he faced the Master. Ross moved forwards towards the Master, but he had backed into the TARDIS, locking it behind him. Ross searched around in his pockets and pulled out the key for the TARDIS door, trying to unlock it but inside the TARDIS the Master had flicked a switch so a key wouldn't work on opening it. He then headed up to the console.

Ross pulled out the sonic to try use that, but the Master, once again, flicked another switch to prevent that from working as well. "Deadlocked." The Master said.

"Let me in! Let me in!" Ross shouted, pounding on the TARDIS doors.

"She's dead.." Laura said, who was by Chantho.

Riker and Rocky were by the door, trying to shut it before the Futurekind could get to them "I've broken the lock!" Riker shouted "give us a hand!"

"I'm begging you!" Ross yelled through the door "everything's changed! It's only the two of us! We're the only ones left! Just let me in!"

Laura got up from the floor and went over to help Riker and Rocky in keeping the door shut.

"Killed by an insect! A girl! How inappropriate," The Master said from inside the TARDIS "still, if Ross can be young and strong, then so can I. the Master.. reborn."

The Master stood in front of the console, head and arms flung back and his regeneration started. See, there was a difference between Ross and the Master's 13 lives. Ross didn't change his face when he 'regenerated' he stayed the same, as for the Master.. each time he regenerated, his face changed into someone different. Bright golden lights poured out from his neck and arms, he screamed.

Outside the TARDIS, Ross could see the light and hear the scream whilst the Futurekind arrived at the door and Laura, Riker and Rocky started to try their best to hold them back as the door wasn't fully closed yet. "ROSS!" Riker shouted "you BETTER think of something!"

Inside the TARDIS, a younger Master, who looked around the same age as Ross did with red hair - basically ginger - and tallish, he woke up next to Ross's hand that was in it's container that Riker brought. He stood up from the floor slowly, becoming amazed "Ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha!" the Master started running around the console "Ha, ha, ha!" the Master then opened up the speaker so Ross could hear along with Riker, Rocky and Laura "Ross-ooh, new voice," he spoke low "hello," then high "hello," then returned his voice back to normal "hello. Anyway, why don't we stop and have a nice little chat while I tell you all my plans and you can work out a way to stop me? I don't think so!"

Rocky looked over towards the TARDIS as he tried to keep the door shut "Wait a minute.. I KNOW that voice!" He said.

"Same here!" Laura said as she was trying to help with the door. The Futurekind Chieftan managed to reach an arm in through the door, causing Laura to scream.

"I'm asking you really properly!" Ross said towards the TARDIS at the Master "just stop! Just think!"

"Use my name." The Master said.

"Master. I'm sorry."

"Tough!" The Master said, starting the controls to the TARDIS. Ross held out his sonic screwdriver, causing the console to spark from the inside.

"Ross! I can't hold out much longer!" Riker said from the door, starting to struggle.

The Master ducked as the TARDIS started to spark from the inside "Oh, no you don't!" He said, getting the column in the middle moving again "End of the universe. Have fun. Bye bye!"

"ROSS, STOP HIM!" Laura screamed, seeing the TARDIS was starting to materialise and disappear to leave the four of them behind with no way back.

Laura, Rocky and Riker fought off the Futurekind away from the door whilst Ross could only watch as the TARDIS dematerialised.

Leaving the four of them stranded at the end of the universe.

**Next Time: **The Sound Of Drums

**Then: **The Last Of The Time Lords

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**Yeah, there's NO trailer for the next chapter, but there WILL be for "The Last Of The Time Lords" :) **

**Well, here we are.. "the Sound Of Drums" and "The Last Of The Time Lords" are basically Rocky & Laura's last chapters before Rydel comes into it :/ It's sad, but it's exciting at the same time because of Rydel being it and i just can't.**

**You'll understand later why I'm having about a million heart attacks over Rydel coming back :)  
**

**Oh, and incase you didn't figure it out yet.. Calum is the Master btw.**

_**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_


	29. The Sound Of Drums

**_Okay, this chapter.. Its a VERY FUCKING LONG AND IMPORTANT  one okay? You HAVE to read it to understand the next chapter.. otherwise you will NOT get it what so ever. Okay? I know it's almost 10,000 words long.. but still.. PLEASE.._**

**_Don't be fucking lazy ass's and just skip it. PLEASE read for gods sake. it was meant ot be 2 parted, but it ended up being 1 WHOLE chapter because the next oe would of been REALLY short._**

**_PLEASE FUCKING READ IT._**

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**_PLEASE READ/WATCH:_ Okay, because there's NO Trailer for the next Chapter.. I've decided to release the Rydel's ARC trailer a little Earlier then planned :) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE watch it! I think you might enjoy what's on the trailer.. Especially at the end ;) YOU'LL LOVE IT! I think it'll make you ALL grow impatient for Rydel's Era :) PLEASE WATCH IT! The Link is at the TOP Of my Profile under "RYDEL'S ARC TRAILER" PLEASE WATCH IR AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!**

**www . youtube watch? v = FcHBIfKwXdE**

**There's the link, just put a "." after youtube and then "com" and then a "/" after**

**For the love of god I hope you ALL Watch it! **

* * *

**_The Sound Of Drums_**

The alleyway in the London streets stood still, quiet and peaceful.

That was until it was disturbed by a time vortex opening up where Ross, Riker, Rocky and Laura all fell out of it, groaning in pain from travelling through it without a TARDIS nor protection. Laura held her head in pain as her and the boys barely fit in the alleyway "Oh.. my head.." She groaned.

Ross started stretching out his neck as well as his arms and neck, feeling stiff and cramped "Time travel without a capsule. That's a killer." He said, also groaning.

Riker cracked his neck before they all left the alleyway, coming out onto a regular London street as they took in their surroundings. Everything was fine and peaceful, everyone getting along with their day-to-day routines with no disturbance what so ever. Riker twisted and turned his head as the four of them walked down the street "Still, at least we made it," Riker said "Earth, 21st century by the looks of it," Riker then laughed with delight "ha, ha, ha, talk about lucky." He smiled. He honestly didn't think they were going to make it back here, especially with Riker's time travel manipulator.

Ross turned around, giving Riker a glare "That wasn't luck, that was me."

_Back at the end of the universe, Riker, Rocky and Laura were all trying to keep the door closed from the Futurekind whilst Ross was using his sonic screwdriver on Riker's vortex manipulator, leaning against the door to try help keep the Futurekind out. But, if the three of them were honest.. Ross wasn't helping by leaning on it, but hey-ho he was trying to get them out of here to stop whatever the Master was going to do. "Hold still!" Ross said, raising his voice as he was trying to focus on the manipulator"don't move! Hold it still!"_

_"I'm telling you, it's broken!" Riker said, also raising his voice as he kept one hand on the door and the other in Ross's hand "it hasn't worked for years!"_

_"That's because you didn't have me," He said, and finally it began to work again "Rocky, Laura hold on!" Ross took Rocky's hand and placed it on the manipulator along with Laura's hand "Now!"_

_With that, he pressed a button on the manipulator and they disappeared._

A short while later, Ross, Riker, Rocky and Laura were all sat in an area in the middle of a pedestrian-only road. Sat down, looking around at everyone and everything. Nothing seemed different... maybe the Master hadn't gone to Earth to cause destruction. Maybe he chose somewhere else?

Maybe.

"The moral is, if you're gonna get stuck at the end of the universe," Riker started to go on, as if, if he wasn't there with them they would of been screwed and stuck there forever, it wasn't a lie. If Riker wasn't there, Ross, Rocky and Laura definitely would of been there forever with no way back "get stuck with an ex-Time agent and his vortex manipulator."

Rocky finished looking around, looking over at Ross who was stood up just in front of Riker, Rocky and Laura just a short distance away "But this Master guy, he's got the TARDIS," Rocky said "he could be anywhere, in time and space."

Ross shook his head, looking around at everyone and everything that was around him with suspicion "No, he's here.. trust me." Ross said. He looked around, seeing Worthy campaign posters plastered everywhere he looked.

Those were what was making him the most suspicious.

"Who is he, anyway?" Laura asked, also looking over at Ross "and that voice at the end, that wasn't the professor."

"If the Master's a Time Lord, he must have regenerated," Riker said "unlike what you do, Ross."

"What does that mean?"

"Means he changes his face, voice, body, everything. New man."

"What does Ross do that's different to that?"

"He just has 13 lives. Stays the same person, just.. when he's dying he obviously uses up them 13 lives. He's on 10 right now, only 2 to go." Riker explained.

"2? if he's on 10, that means he has 3 left." Rocky said.

Riker shook his head "The 13th life only lasts for so long. Then... he's dead."

Ross looked around, noticing a homeless man tapping a repeated 4 beat rhythm on an enamel mug. Not knowing it was the sound that goes on in the Master's head, though his suspicion was starting to rise that the Master must be near by when his attention just seemed to be focused on that 4 beat knocking.

Laura shook her head "If the Master's a new man, how are we gonna find him?"

The tapping on the mug then started to echo.

Ross continued to look around, hearing the tapping echoing "I'll know him the moment I see him," Ross said "Time Lords always do."

Rocky looked over to the wall, seeing something "Hold on," Rocky said, seeing the poster that was on the wall "if he could be anyone.. we missed the election for Prime Minster of Britain," Rocky's eyes widened "no way.. it can't be."

Ross, Rocky and Riker then walked slowly towards a giant screen that showed the news on it, Laura slowly followed them. It was like they were figuring it out together as a three and leaving Laura out.

It's what it felt like to her a whole lot lately.

Rocky and Ross figuring out stuff together as a two, leaving Laura out as if she wouldn't be able to do it or figure it out herself.. but you know what?

The day is going to come when Rocky, Riker and Ross get into too much danger that it's only going to be up to Laura to save them.

It's true.

That day WILL come.

"Mr Worthy has returned from the Palace and is greeting the crowd inside Worthy Headquarters." The Newscaster said from the screen the four of them were looking at. The screen then showed Worthy - aka the Master - walking downstairs with an entourage, Lucy, at his side.

Laura's eyes widened "I told you me and Rocky knew his voice. When he spoke inside the TARDIS. I've heard the voice hundreds of times. I've seen him. We all have. That was the voice of Calum Worthy."

Ross's eyes widened also "That's him. He's Prime Minster," Ross said, then he witnessed on the screen the Master leaning over and kissing Lucy who was at his side "The Master and his WIFE."

Well it was certain..

The UK and the World, were doomed.

* * *

Laura decided to try and take charge a little bit and bring the boys to her apartment where hopefully they could do a little more research up on this "Calum Worthy" aka the Master. They walked into the living room of the apartment "What have you got?" Ross asked, looking around "computer, laptop, anything?" Ross looked over to Riker, who was trying to make some sort of call on his mobile phone "Riker, who are you phoning? You can't tell anyone we're here!"

Riker looked over to Ross "Just some friends of mine," he looked down at his phone, taking it away from his ear "but there's no reply..."

Laura handed Ross her laptop, only for Riker to take it from him "I can show you the Worthy websites. He's been around for ages." Riker sat at a desk with Laura's laptop.

"That's so weird though," Rocky said, looking over at Ross "it's the day after the election. That's only FOUR DAYS after me and Laura met you.." He said, sort of amazed but creeped out. Damn, he could only imagine what would of happened if Ross never met Rocky and Laura on that day in the hospital.

Which was... four days ago.

"We went flying around the universe while he was here the whole time." Ross said.

Laura sat on the arm of the sofa next to Ross who was sat on the sofa "You gonna tell us who he is?" She asked.

"He's a Time Lord."

"What about the rest of it?" Rocky asked, folding his arms "I mean, who'd call himself the Master?"

"That's all you need to know," Ross then turned over to where Riker was "come on, show me Calum Worthy."

Laura went over to her answering machine to see if anyone interesting had called, only her sister Vanessa had. She had a voice mail from her saying: "Laura, where are you? I've got this new job. You won't believe it. It's weird, they just phoned me up out of the blue. I'm working for-"

Before Laura let the voice mail finish off, she shut off the machine "Oh, like it matters." She said,

Only if Laura knew, that it did matter who Vanessa was working for.

On the laptop, Riker brought up several commercials for the Worthy campaign with noteworthy supporters like McFly, Sharon Osbourne and Anne Widdecombe. Riker then stopped the commercials on the website, looking at Ross "Former Minister of Defence. First came to prominence when he shot down the Racnoss on Christmas Eve, you know.. that giant red spider," he turned to Ross with a smile "nice work, by the way." Riker knew Ross had something behind the death of that big red spider, the Racnoss, not the Master.

Ross sat on the couch arm "Oh, thanks."

"He goes back years," Laura said "he's famous. Everyone knows his story. Look," she pointed to the screen where it said all about 'Calum Worthy's life story' "Cambridge University, Rugby blue, won the Athletics thing, wrote a novel, went into business, marriage, everything. He's got a whole life."

"But he's got a TARDIS," Riker said, moments later as they were trying to figure this all out "maybe the Master went back in time and has been living her for decades."

Ross was now the one sat at the desk where the laptop was "No."

"Why not?" Riker asked, walking from the kitchen "worked for me."

"When he was stealing the TARDIS, the only thing I could do was fuse the coordinates. I locked them permanently," Ross began to explain "he can only travel between the year 100 trillion and the last place the TARDIS landed. Which is right here, right now."

"Yeah, but a little leeway?"

Ross shrugged "Well... 18 months tops. The most he could have been here is 18 months. So how has he managed all this? The Master was always sort of.. hypnotic but this is on a massive scale."

"I was gonna vote for him." Laura admitted.

"Really?"

Laura nodded "Well, it was before I even met you. And I liked him."

"Me too." Riker and Rocky said at near enough the same time.

"Why do you say that?" Ross asked, looking at Laura "what was his policy? What did he stand for?"

All of a sudden, Laura started talking in a dreamy voice, like she was hypnotised "I don't know. He always sounded.. good," then, Laura started tapping her fingers on her leg - without realising - in the same 4 beat rhythm the homeless person from earlier was on the mug, Ross looked at the tapping Laura was doing "like you could trust him," Laura went on "just nice. He spoke about.. I can't really remember, but it was good. Just the sound of his voice." she continued to tap on her leg.

Ross continued to look at the tapping "What's that?"

Laura became startled, stopping the tapping and looked at Ross "What's what?" She asked, not even realising she was doing the 4 beat tap repeatedly.

"That! That tapping, that rhythm! What are you doing?"

"I don't know. It's nothing. It j- I don't know!"

A tune then started to play from the Worthy website saying "Worthy Broadcast; ALL CHANNELS"

Ross went over to the TV, sitting down on the edge of the couch "Our lord and master is speaking to his kingdom." Ross said.

Onscreen, Calum is sitting in front of an ornate fireplace in the Cabinet Room. He started to speak "Britain, Britain, Britain," The Master started "what extraordinary times we've had. Just a few years ago, this world was so small. And they came, out of the unknown, falling from the skies," a clip on the TV then showed a spaceship crashing into Big Ben, which was from a while ago with Ross.. and Ratliff "you've seen it happen - Big Ben destroyed, a spaceship over London," then a clip showed the Army Of Ghosts aka the Cybermen in the middle of London streets as well as the Dalek's up in the air from the battle of Canary Wharf when Ross was with Ratliff.. again, and by that point Ross wanted to punch the TV screen "all those ghosts, metal men and.. whatever them other things were with the one long eye," then another clip showed of the Racnoss Star Ship from about one or two Christmas's ago in the middle of London, when Ross was with Rydel... which was strange. Was the Master trying to tell Ross something by showing sorts of the past with his past companions, even though Rydel isn't exactly classed as a past companion "the Christmas star that came to kill. Time and time again the government told you nothing. Well not me. Not Calum Worthy. Because my purpose here today is to tell you this-citizens of Great Britain.. I have been contacted. A message, for humanity, from beyond the stars." The Master then nodded to someone off camera.

That's when a video started to play of a large sphere, no bigger than a human head, with strange patterns hovering in the air. When it spoke, a female, young, robotic like voice came out of it "People of Earth, we come in peace. We bring great gifts. We bring technology and wisdom and protection. And all we ask in return is your friendship."

The screen then changed back to Calum, the Master, talking to the whole of the UK "Ooh, sweet. And this species has identified itself. They're called the Toclafane."

Ross's eyes widened "WHAT?!"

"And tomorrow morning they will appear," The Master went on, talking on the TV "not in secret, but to all of you. Diplomatic relations with a new species will begin. Tomorrow, we take our place in the universe. Every man, woman and child. Every teacher and chemist and lorry driver and farmer," he then paused "and every.. oh, I don't know.. medical student?"

Ross's eyes widened once more before he whipped round Laura's TV which revealed a bomb was attached to the back of it "GET OUT!" Ross shouted, as it was about to go off. Ross grabbed the laptop from the desk.

The four of them rushed out of the apartment, and just when they got onto the street outside Laura's apartment, the WHOLE top of the apartment exploded. Ross turned to everyone after the bomb exploded "Alright?"

Riker nodded "Yeah."

Ross looked over to Rocky. Rocky also nodded "Fine, yeah, fine."

"Laura?" Ross asked, looking over at her as she was using her phone "what are you doing?"

"He knows me. What about my family?" Laura asked.

"Don't tell them anything!"

Laura turned around, snapping at Ross "I'll do what I like!" She snapped, that's when her Mom had answered the phone "Mom? Oh my god, you're there.."

"Course I'm here, sweetheart," Francine said "you alright?" Francine knew Laura wouldn't be a lone as well as Rocky, she knew Ross would be there too. She didn't like Ross. Especially what she had been told about him by certain people who worked for Calum Worthy, the new Prime Minster of England.

"I'm fine," Laura said relieved "Mom, has there been anyone asking about me or Rocky?"

Francine wasn't alone though, there was a blonde woman sat at the dining room table in Francine's house, listening in on there conversation through her laptop she had with her. As well as Laura's Dad, Clive, who looked nervous "Laura," Francine said, looking at the blonde woman "I think perhaps you should come round. Rocky too."

"I can't! Not now!"

"No, but it's your father," Francine said "we've been talking and we thought we might give it another go."

"Don't be so daft!" Laura said, shocked and surprise. There was no way her Mom and Dad were getting back together, they hated each other too much to get back together. Now she knew something was up "since when?!"

"Just come round. Come to the house, we can celebrate."

"You said you'd never get back with him in a million years."

"Ask him yourself." Francine then handed over the phone to Clive.

Clive took the phone from Francine, speaking nervously "Laura, it's me."

"Dad? What are you doing there?" Laura asked, now becoming nervous.

"Like your mother said. Come round. We can explain everything."

Laura took a small pause, she took a deep breath which came out shaky "Dad? Just say yes or no... is there someone there?" She asked.

Clive took a long pause, trying his best not to explode but it didn't work "YES! Just run, Laura!" Clive said down the phone, beginning to head for the front door himself.

"Clive!" Francine yelled.

"Listen to me! Just run!" Clive was then grabbed by two men "I don't know who they are! JUST. RUN. You and Rocky! RUN!"

"We're trying to help her! Laura, don't listen!"

"Dad! What's going on?" Laura asked.

Francine and Clive started yelling at each other as Clive was dragged out of the house by the two men.

Laura hung up the phone and started running over to her car "I've gotta help them!"

"That's exactly what they want!" Ross said chasing after her, followed by Rocky and Riker "it's a trap Laura!"

"I don't care!" She shouted at him, getting into the drivers seat.

Ross sighed, spinning round in frustration before jumping into the front seat of Laura's car while Rocky and Riker took the back seat together.

Clive fought as he was being taken to a near-by waiting white van "Get off!" Clive shouted as neighbours started to look out to see what was going on "it's your fault, all of you! You voted Worthy! You did this!"

As this went on, Francine just watched from the front door.

Laura drove recklessly down the road as fast as she could to get to her Mom's house, making Riker and Rocky a nervous wreck as she drove. Ross, he was just holding it all in "Corner!" Ross shouted as they were coming up to one.

Laura took the corner tightly, making the tyres squeal.

The blonde woman talked on her earpiece as Clive had been put into the back of the van "Mr Worthy, we have Condition Red on the Marano and Lynch plan. We're taking them in," she looked over at Francine "all of them."

A man then came over and grabbed Francine by the arms "But I was helping you!" Francine protested as she was being dragged over to the van.

As Laura was driving, she had her phone up to her ear waiting for Vanessa to pick up on the other line, now realising Vanessa was working for the Master "C'mon, Vanessa. Pick up.."

Vanessa walked down the stairs in Number 10, which was the home of the Prime Minister, as she answered her phone "Laura, I can't talk right now," Vanessa said "we just made first contact. Did you see-" that was when two men grabbed Vanessa by the arms, carrying her backwards up the stairs "what are you doing?!" Vanessa then dropped her phone "Get off! Linda, tell them!"

Laura, Ross, Riker and Rocky heard what had happened through the phone. "What's happening?! Vanessa?!" Laura then glanced over at Ross with a deathly look "it's your fault! It's all your fault!" She screamed at Ross.

"I was helping you!" Francine shouted as she was being pushed into the car "get off me!" That was when Laura came speeding round the corner in her car, stopping when she saw what was happening to her Mom and Dad "Laura, get out of here! Get out!" Francine shouted.

"Target identified." The Blonde women said, making the police take position towards the car.

Ross watched as his eyes grew wide "Laura, reverse.." he said,

"Take aim.." The police aimed their guns towards the car.

"Get out, now!" Ross raised his voice. Laura then reversed into a 3-point turn.

"FIRE!" The police then opened fire on the car, shooting at it.

"MOVE IT!" Riker shouted.

As they took off down the road, bullets shattered the rear window, causing Riker and Rocky having to duck so they missed the bullets hitting them.

"Take them away." The blonde woman ordered.

Francine and Clive were then locked away in the van, as this happened Francine just watched her daughter escape.

"The only place we can go.. planet Earth. Great." Laura said, upset and sarcastic.

"Careful!" Ross said as she nearly crashed into something.

Riker popped his head in the gap between Ross and Laura, looking at Laura "Now, Laura, listen to me. Do as I say. We've gotta ditch this car. Pull over. Right now!" Riker said.

with that, Laura pulled over into a tunnel where they all got out of the car and headed off on foot. Ross turned around, seeing Laura was on the phone again. He sighed "Laura, come on!"

"Leo! Thank god!" Laura said in relief as her brother answered the phone "Leo, you got to listen to me. Where are you?"

Leo was walking along a promenade with his girlfriend and their son, whilst on the phone to Laura obviously "I'm in Brighton. We came down with Boxer. Did you see that Worthy thing on TV?"

"Leo, just listen to me," Laura said, cutting him off "don't go home, I'm telling you. Don't phone Mom or Dad or Vanessa. You've gotta hide."

"Shut up." Leo said, unbelieving with a small laugh.

"On my life Leo," Laura said as her voice cracked with worry "you've gotta trust me. Go to Boxer's. Stay with him."

What she didn't know, that one one of the other side's of the phone. The Master was listening in on their conversation in the Cabinet Room. "Don't tell anyone!" Laura continued on saying "just hide!"

The Master laughed, finally coming through over the phone to JUST Laura as Leo was cut off "Ooh, a nice little game of hide-and-seek. I love that," The Master said, making Laura's face drop on the other side of the phone as she realised his voice "but I'll find you, Laura Marano. Been a long time since we saw each other. Must be, what, 100 trillion years?"

"Let them go, Worthy," Laura said becoming angry, making Ross wheel round facing her "Do you hear me?! Let them go!" She screamed, making only the Master smile.

Ross went over, taking the phone from Laura "I'm here." He said down it.

The Master then immediately took the phone off speaker onto his phone "Ross." He said, seriously.

"Master."

"I like it when you use my name." The Master smiled.

"You chose it," Ross said, walking a little way from Riker, Rocky and Laura "psychiatrist's field day.."

"As you chose yours," The Master said "of course you had two choices. A name where you just fit in as an average guy, Ross. Or a name that makes people better. Doctor. Good choice you made, Ross, good choice."

Ross rolled his eyes "So.. Prime Minister."

"I know. It's good, isn't it?"

"Who are those creatures?" Ross asked, taking away from that subject "cause there's no such thing as the Toclafane. It's just a made up name like the Bogeyman."

"Do you remember all those fairy tales about the Toclafane when we were kids? Back home," The Master asked, then realising something "Where is it?" The Master asked, referring to where they use to live."

"Gone."

"How can Gallifrey be gone?"

"It burnt."

"And the Time Lords?"

"Dead. And the Dalek's," Ross said "more or less," He said, remembering about Dalek Caan escaping and being the only one left "what happened to you?"

"The Time Lords only resurrected me because they knew I'd be the perfect warrior for a Time War. I was there when the Dalek Emperor took control of the Cruciform. I saw it. I ran. I ran so far. Made myself human so they would never find me because... I was so scared."

"I know." Ross said.

"All of them?" The Master asked "but now you, which must mean.."

Ross nodded "I was the only one who could end it. And I tried. I did. I tried everything."

The Master became intrigued by this, Ross destroying his own home planet so a war would end. He grinned "What did it feel like, though? Two almighty civilizations burning. Oh, tell me, how did it feel?"

"Stop it!"

"You must have been like God."

"I've been alone ever since," Ross said "but not anymore. Don't you see, all we've got is each other.."

"Are you asking me out on a date?"

Ross rolled his eyes yet again "You could stop this right now. We could leave this planet. We could fight across the constellations if that's what you want," Ross said, if he was honest he'd rather have that then what the Master was trying to do "but not on Earth." He added a short while after a pause.

"Too late."

"Why do you say that?" Ross asked.

"The drumming," The Master said, starting to drum his fingers on the table, the same 4 beat knock from earlier with the homeless man and Laura "I thought it would stop but it never does. Never ever stops. Inside my head, the drumming, Ross. The constant drumming."

"I could help you. Please, let me help."

"It's everywhere. Listen, listen, listen," he took a pause, drumming a little louder on the table "her come the drums. Here come the drums."

Ross looked over to a man that was leaning on the side of a building, he then started to tap the same 4 beat rhythm on his legs. Ross went close near to him "What have you done?" Ross asked "tell me how you've done this. What are those creatures? Tell me!"

The Master then sat in front of his laptop, with a smile "Oh, look! You're on TV."

"Stop it! Answer me!" Ross said, starting to almost loose it with anger.

"No, really. You're on TV," The Master then switched on the BBC newscast "You and your little band, which, by the way, is ticking every demographic box. So, congratulations on that. Look, there you are! Ha!"

Ross turned around where he saw a TV shop in the window of a newscaster talking, with none other than Ross, Riker, Rocky and Laura's picture on the side individually of what looked like it came from a CCTV camera by the picture's framing and how they looked. "They're known to be armed and extremely dangerous." The Newscaster said.

"You're public enemies number one, two, three and four," The Master said, "Oh, and you can tell handsome Riker that I've sent his little gang off on a wild goose chase to the Himalayas so he won't be getting any help from them," his screen on the laptop then switched to a CCTV camera that was outside the shop in time to see Rocky, Laura and Riker joining Ross outside of it "now, go on, off you go. Why not start by turning right?"

Ross turned around and noticed the CCTV camera "He can see us." Ross then used the sonic screwdriver on the camera, causing it to break and go off.

"Ooh, you public menace!" The Master said with a small jump, "better start running. Go on. Run!"

Ross turned around, facing Rocky, Laura and Riker "He's got control of everything.." Ross said, becoming helpless and not even knowing what to do.

"What do we do?" Rocky asked, looking at Ross who didn't even respond, he was just staring into space at nothing becoming very helpless.

"We've got nowhere to go." Riker decided to add in.

Rocky looked at Ross, speaking to him with a mix of anger and worry as fear started to take over him, and fear never takes over Rocky not ever "Ross, what do we do?"

"Run for your life, Ross!" The Master said through the phone, seen as though he hadn't hung up yet.

"We run." Ross said.

With that, Ross, Rocky, Riker and Laura started to run, making their way through a shopping arcade as fast as they could, well as fast as Rocky, Riker and Laura could because they were following Ross as they ran.

It was official, they couldn't do anything for the planet anymore. They couldn't save it from what the Master was going to do. Especially when he had control of everything.

"I said, RUN!" The Master shouted through the phone as it got hung up.

* * *

Night time soon came, Laura walked into a disused warehouse with a carrier bag of takeaway with food in it for her and the boys to eat. When she walked in, she saw Rocky sat watching Ross with the laptop and Riker using his time manipulator. Riker looked over, seeing Laura had came back "How was it?" Riker asked.

"I don't think anyone saw me. Anything new?" She asked, putting down the bag.

"I've got his tuned into the government wavelength so we can follow what Worthy's doing." Riker said, hinting to the time manipulator.

Laura nodded "Yeah, I meant by family." She looked down at Ross, seen as though he was on the laptop.

Ross looked at the laptop screen at whatever he was doing and looking at "It still says the Marano family taken in for questioning. Tell you what, though, no mention of Leo."

Laura smiled, folding her arms "He's not as daft as he looks," her face then straightened "I'm talking about my brother on the run... how did this happen?"

Riker sat down, taking a bag of chips out of the bag along with Rocky and Ross "Nice chips."

Laura then sat down beside Rocky. Her, Rocky, and Riker all then exchanged looks, where Laura nodded her head in Ross's direction. "So, Ross," Riker started "who is he? How come the ancient society of Time Lords created a psychopath?"

"And what is he to you?" Rocky asked "like a colleague.."

"A friend, at first." Ross said.

Laura scoffed "I thought you were gonna say he was your secret brother or something."

That caused Ross, Rocky and Riker to stare at Laura like she was crazy. She thought a man like the Master was related to someone like Ross? He's.. it's just no. Ross and the Master are two different people, how could you think they were related to one another? "You've been watching too much TV..." Ross said.

Laura chuckled half heartedly. Riker looked at Ross, confused "But all the legends of Gallifrey made it sound so perfect."

"Well, perfect to look at maybe. And it was, it was beautiful," Ross leaned back, feeling like this was going to be a VERY long explanation to the three of them "they use to call it the Shining World of the Seven Systems. And on the Continent of Wild Endeavour, in the Mountains of Solace and Solitude, there stood the Citadel of the Time Lords.. the oldest and most mighty race in the universe... looking down on the galaxies below... sworn never to interfere.. only to watch.. Children of Gallifrey, taken from their families at the age of eight to enter the Academy. And some say that's when it all began. When he was a child.. that's when the Master saw eternity. As a novice, he was taken for initiation, it's a gap in the fabric of reality through which you could see the whole of the vortex. You stand there, eight years old.. staring at the raw power of time and space, just a child. Some would be inspired... some would run away... and some would go mad."

"What about you?" Rocky asked.

"Oh, one of the ones that ran away," He said, with a mouth full of chips "I never stopped."

All of a sudden, Riker's manipulator started to bleep "Encrypted channel with files attached," Riker said looking at it "don't recognise it."

"Patch it through the computer." Ross said.

Riker then scratched the back of his neck nervously as he attached the manipulator to the laptop "Um, since we're telling stories, um, there's something I haven't told you.." Riker said.

The Torchwood logo then appeared on the screen. Ross looked at Riker in disbelief, remembering what Torchwood did and what happened and if he was honest, if it wasn't for Torchwood he may not of lost Ratliff to a Parallel World, now here he was. Staring at someone who worked for them people. "You work for Torchwood." Ross said in disbelief.

"I swear to you, it's different. It's changed. There's only half a dozen of us now."

"Everything Torchwood did and you're part of it?!" Ross started to raise his voice.

"The old regime was destroyed at Canary Wharf," Riker said "I rebuilt it, I changed it. And when I did that, I did it for you, in your honour."

Ross only glared at Riker for a few moments before opening the file. It opened up to be a video clip of some some women saying: "If I haven't returned to my desk by 2200 hours, this file will be emailed to Torchwood. Which means, if you're watching this, then I'm... Anyway, the Worthy files are attached. But take a look at the Archangel document. That's when it all started. When Calum Worthy became Minister in charge of launching of the Archangel Network."

The screen then changed to show a graphic of a spinning Earth with satellites. "What's the Archangel Network?" Ross asked.

Rocky pulled out his mobile phone "I've got Archangel. Everyone's got it."

"It's the mobile phone network," Riker said "cause look, it's gone worldwide. They've got 15 satellites in orbit. Even the other networks, they're all carried by Archangel."

Ross snatched Rocky's phone off him, using the sonic screwdriver on it "It's in the phones! Oh, I said he was a hypnotist! Wait, wait, wait. Hold on," Ross tapped the phone against the table and it started to bleep the same 4 beat rhythm the homeless person made, Laura made of her own accord and the man who was leaning against the side of the building "there is is. That rhythm, it's everywhere. Ticking away in the subconscious."

"What is it, mind control?" Rocky asked.

"No, no, no, no," Ross shook his head "subtler than that. Any stronger and people would question it. But contained in that rhythm, in layers of codes.. vote Worthy. Believe me. Whispering to the world.." all of a sudden it clicked to Ross on what the Master was doing "oh, yes! That's how he hid himself from me. Cause I should have sensed there was another Time Lord on Earth. I should have known way back. The signal cancelled him out."

"Any way you can stop it?" Riker asked.

"Not from down here," Ross said, he then looked up towards the sky, even though the warehouse roof was in the way "but now we know how he's doing it." he looked back down to the others.

Laura looked at Ross, starting to kind of click onto what he was trying to say "And we can fight back." She smiled.

"Oh, yes!"

Ross then started to take apart the laptop and phone. After, he took Laura, Rocky and Riker's TARDIS keys, using the sonic screwdriver to weld circuitry to the keys. He then tied them to a string each so they could be worn around the neck. There was four individually for each of them "Four TARDIS keys, four pieces of the TARDIS with low-level perception properties because the TARDIS is designed to blend in," Ross explained with smile "well, sort of, but... now! The Archangel Network's got a second low-level signal. Weld the key to the network and.. Rocky," he stepped back from him "look at me. You can see me, yes?"

"Yep!" Rocky nodded.

"What about now?" Ross asked, slipping the key over his neck.

Rocky's vision then started to veer off, making everything in front of him.. just weird.. well Ross anyway, Riker and Laura just chuckled at the sight of Rocky trying to figure out where Ross was, even though he'd never moved. "No, I'm here. Look at me." Ross said, his voice echoing.

"It's like.. I know you're there but I don't want to know.." Rocky said.

"And back again," Ross took off the key from around his neck, returning back to Rocky's vision as well as Riker and Laura's "see? It just shifts your perception a tiny little bit. Doesn't make us invisible, just unnoticed. Oh, I know what it's like. It's like-it's like when you like, like someone and they don't even know you exist. That's what it's like. Come on!"

Laura looked over to Riker, who also looked at her with a smile "You too, huh?" He asked.

All four of them walked out onto the dark night streets "Don't run. Don't shout," Ross said "just keep your voice down. Draw attention to yourself and the spell is broken. Just keep to the shadows."

"Like ghosts." Riker said.

"Yeah, that's what we are. Ghosts."

They each then placed a key around their necks, heading into the city.

The Master and Lucy arrived outside on the runway of an airport with an escort to greet President Winters on the tarmac. The Master saluted at him "Mr President, sir!"

"Mr Worthy," President Winters said "the British Army will stand down. From now on, UNIT has control of this operation."

"You make it sound like an invasion." The Master said with a slight laugh.

"First contact policy was decided by the Security Council in 1968. And you've just gone and ignored it."

The Master just shrugged, like he wasn't bothered. Because he wasn't bothered "Well, you know what it's like. New job, all that paperwork. I think it's down the back of the couch. I did have a quick look. I found a pen, a sweet, a bus ticket and uh.." The Master turned and looked at Lucy, letting her step forward "have you met the wife?"

President Winters sighed, looking at the Master like he was going to rip out his throat and feed it to wild dogs "Mr Worthy, I'm not sure what your game is but there are provisions at the United Nations to have you removed from office unless you are very, very careful. Is that understood?" Winters asked, the Master then mimed zipping his lips "Are you taking this seriously?" Winters asked, the Master nodded "to business. We've accessed your files on these.. Toclafane," That was when Ross, Riker, Rocky and Laura all appeared in the background of the President and the Master talking together, just listening in and watching them. Winters continued on talking "first contact cannot take place on any sovereign soil. For that purpose, the aircraft carrier Valiant is en route. The rendezvous will take place there at 8:00 a.m.," Winters said. The Master tried to talk through zipped lips, even though they weren't zipped. Winters sighed "You're trying my patience, sir."

The Master then mimed unzipping his lips "So America is completely incharge?"

"Since Britain elected an ass, yes. I'll see you onboard the Valiant." Winters then went to go turned away, but was stopped by the Master talking.

"It still will be televised, though, won't it?" The Master asked "because I promised, and the whole world is watching."

"Since it's too late to pull out, the word will be watching. Me." The President then turned around, walking towards a waiting car.

The Master then stepped back to Lucy, talking to her whilst looked over at the President "The last President of America. We have a private plane ready and waiting. We should reach the Valiant within the hour," he then motioned Lucy to go forward "my darling."

The Master turned around to watch Winters drive away, turning back back he looked at the area where Ross, Riker, Rocky and Laura were standing. Not noticing them one bit, due to the keys around their neck. When he heard a siren, he turned around where a police van showed up. Soon, the Marano family were taken out and the Master ran over to them like greeting old friends "Hey, guys!" The Master laughed "all will be revealed."

Laura watched in horror "Oh my god.."

"Don't move.." Ross warned.

"But..."

"Don't."

Laura's family was then transferred into a Land Rover. Laura shook her head as she watched "I'm gonna kill him.."

Riker watched also "Say I use this perception filter to walk up behind him and snap his neck?"

Ross nodded, not with him "Now THAT sounds like Torchwood."

"Still a good plan." Rocky said, agreeing with what Riker suggested.

Ross shook his head "He's a Time Lord, which makes him my responsibility. I'm not here to kill him, I'm here to save him."

Riker used the manipulator to try track down the Valiant aircraft they were talking about "Aircraft carrier Valiant. It's a UNIT ship at 28.2N."

"How do we get onboard?" Rocky asked.

Ross looked at Riker "Does that thing use as a teleport?"

"Since you revamped it, yeah," Riker said, fiddling with it "coordinates set."

Ross made sure that he, Rocky, Laura and Riker were all touching the manipulator before activating it. Soon, they arrived on the Valiant in one of the engine rooms. Riker, Rocky and Laura groaned "Oh, that thing is rough.." Laura said.

"I've had worse nights," Riker cracked his neck "welcome to the Valiant."

"It's dawn," Rocky walked over to the porthole "hold on, I thought this was a ship. Where's the sea?" He asked.

"A ship for the 21st century. Protecting the skies of planet Earth."

They looked out the porthole, seeing the Valiant is a massive aircraft carrier in the sky with three landing strips.

* * *

Ross, Laura, Rocky and Riker all ran through the maintenance hallways when all of a sudden Ross stopped. "We've got no time for sight seeing!" Riker said, desperate to run and go stop the Master.

"No, no. Wait," Ross said, looking around as he could hear something "can't you hear it?"

"Hear what?"

"Ross," Laura said, striding past "my family's on board."

Ross changed the direction they were running in, only to run through more corridors where they all burst through a set of doors which revealed the TARDIS. All of them smiled happily in delight at seeing it. Riker looked confused though "What's it doing on the Valiant?" He asked. They opened the doors to the TARDIS, only to see a very different interior bathed in red, seeing the console had been stripped down of certain parts and caged off. Rocky looked around at it confused "What the hell's he done to it?!" Rocky asked.

"Don't touch it." Ross warned.

Laura also looked at it, confused and a little bit panicked, brining down all the little hope she had "What's he done though?" Laura asked "sounds like it's.. sick.."

Ross shook his head, looking around at the inside of the TARDIS in disbelief "It can't be. No, no, no, no, no, no. It can't be."

"Ross, what is it?" Rocky asked.

"He's cannibalised the TARDIS."

Riker then looked around at the TARDIS, realising what it could be "IS that what I think it is?" Riker asked.

"It's a paradox machine."

Ross turned around and exited the TARDIS with the other three, making their way down the hallways to try get to where the Master was "As soon as it hits red, it activates. At this speed, it'll trigger," Ross then looked at Riker's watch he had on, by grabbing his wrist and dropping it "at two minutes past 8."

"First contacts at 8... and then.. two minutes later.." Riker said, becoming a little bit fearful.

"What's it for?" Rocky asked, trying to keep up with Ross's walking speed "what's a paradox machine do?" He asked.

"More importantly, can you stop it?"

Ross shook his head "Not until I know what it's doing. Touch the wrong bit and blow up the solar system."

"Then we've got to get the Master." Rocky said.

"Yeah, how do we stop him?" Riker asked.

"Oh, I've got a way. Sorry, didn't I tell you?" Ross said, with a grin as he looked at the three of them as they all walked, close to the room everyone was in.

The camera's had gone live in the Valiant to the whole entire world, and instead of the Master being on everyone's screens the President of the United States was "My fellow Americans, patriots, people of the world.." Winters started to speak "I stand before you today as ambassador for humanity, a role I will undertake with utmost solemnity. Perhaps our Toclafane cousins can offer as much, but that is important is not that we gain material benefits, but that we learn to see ourselves a new."

Ross, Riker, Rocky and Laura all entered the room from the back, with the keys back around their necks being unnoticed. And that's when the Master's smile faded.

Winters kept on talking "For as long as man has looked to the stars, he has wondered what mysteries they hold. Now we know we are not alone.."

Riker leaned closer to Ross so the room couldn't hear them "You gonna tell us this plan?"

Ross nodded "If I can get this," He said, referring to the key around his neck "around the Master's neck.. cancel out his perception, they'll see him for real. It's just hard to go unnoticed with everyone on red alert. If they stop me.. you've got a key."

"Yes, sir." Riker said.

"I'll get him.." Laura said with a determined look on her face as she looked over at the Master.

"Same here." Rocky said, near enough the same way.

"And I ask of you now," Winters went on to talk "I ask of the human race, to join with me in welcoming our friends. I give you, the Toclafane," and with that, three spheres appeared around the President "My name is Arthur Coleman Winters, President-Elect of the United States of America and designated representative of the United Nations. I welcome you to planet Earth and it's associated moon."

"You're not the Master." A Sphere said, the female voice.

"We like the Mr Master." Another Sphere said, a make voice this time.

"We don't like you." The other Toclafane said, also another male voice.

Winters looked on at the Toclafane confused "I.. an be Master, if you so wish. I will accept mastery over you if that is God's will."

"Man is stupid."

"Master is our friend."

"Where's my Master, pretty please?"

"Oh, alright then. It's me," The Master said, standing up for the whole room to see "Ta-da!" He laughed "sorry. Sorry, I have this effect. People just get obsessed. Is it the smile? Is it the aftershave? Is it the capacity to laugh at myself? I don't know. It's crazy!"

Winters looked over to the Master confused "Worthy, what are you talking about?" He asked.

The Master turned around to face Winters "I'm taking control, Uncle Sam," He said seriously, he then talked to the Toclafane "kill him."

One of the Toclafane then shot Winters with a laser, where then he disintegrated into nothing, making chaos erupt as everyone in the room tried to escape. The guards then pulled out their weapons, making sure everyone stayed put and nobody left the room. Once everyone was taken into order, not being able to leave, The Master spoke into the camera "Now then, people's of the Earth, please attend carefully."

Ross looked at the Master for a short while, deciding to rush forwards towards the Master, only to be grabbed by two guards to stop him from going anywhere near him. The Master turned around smiling "We meet at last, Ross," The Master said with a huge grin "Oh, ho! I love saying that!"

"Stop this! Stop this now!" Ross said with some sort of anger as he was held to the floor almost.

The Master looked down at Ross as if he was stupid "As if a perception filter's gonna work on me. Oh, and look. It's the girlie, the jesus look-alike and the freak. Although, I'm not sure which ones which.," and with that, Riker rushed forward towards the Master, but the Master fired a laser at Riker, causing him to fall to the floor "Laser screwdriver. Who'd have a sonic? And the good thing is, he's not dead for long. I get to kill him again.!" The Master said the last part with joy and glee.

Laura then ran over to where Riker was, only for Rocky to be grabbed by two guards himself. Making Laura the only free one in the room.

Ross looked up to the Master from where he was "Master, just calm down. Just look at what you're doing. Just stop. If you could see yourself.."

The Master sighed, looking to the camera "Oh, do excuse me. Little bit of personal business. Back in a minute," The Master looked at his guards "let him go."

The guards then pushed Ross to the floor "It's that sound, the sound in your head. What if I could help?"

"Oh, how to shut him up? I know," The Master said "Memory Lane!" He said with a bright smile, sitting on the steps facing Ross, looking at him dead in the eye "Professor Lazarus. Remember him? And his genetic manipulation device?" The Master asked, making Ross remember a past trip he'd been on with Rocky and Laura, this man was like 80 years old and he turned himself into someone who was like 25 "did you think Vanessa got that job merely by coincidence? I've been laying traps for you all this time. And if I can concentrate all that Lazarus technology into one little screwdriver.. But, ooh, if only I had Ross's biological code. Oh, wait a minute, I do!" The Master then ran over to a silver case, opening it to reveal Ross's hand that Riker had "I've got his hand! And if Lazarus made himself younger, what if I reverse it? Another hundred years?"

Ross looked up at the Master with fear. He wouldn't seriously do what he was about to do. The Master then aimed his screwdriver at Ross, who screamed as he went into convulsions as his genetic makeup was starting to be altered thanks to the Master.

Riker soon revived, looking what was going on around him, he looked at Laura who was next to him, he looked over to Rocky who was being held by two guards.

Laura was the only one out of the four of them free. He took his Time Manipulator off his wrist "Teleport." Riker said to Laura, handing her the manipulator.

Laura took the manipulator from Riker, looking at him as she felt like she was going to cry "I can't.."

"We can't stop him. Get out of here. Get out."

Eventually, the Master stopped doing what he was doing to Ross with the screwdriver where Ross now had the body and face of a very, VERY old man. Laura crawled to his side "I've got you, Ross." She said.

"Aw, she's a would-be-doctor. But tonight, Laura Marano, we've flown them in all the way from prison!" The Master said.

The doors then slid open where the guards escorted Francine, Clive and Vanessa into the room. Laura's eyes widened "Mom."

"I'm sorry." Francine said, crying.

Ross looked up at the Master from the floor, breathing heavily "The Toclafane, who are they?" He asked "who are they?"

"Ross, if I told you the truth, your hearts would break." The Master said.

"Is it time?" A Toclafane's began to asked.

"Is it ready?

"Is the machine singing?"

The Master checked his watch "Two minutes past," The Master mount stepped backwards, standing by Lucy "So! Earthlings," He looked into the camera "basically, um, end of the world," he then held up the screwdriver "Here.. come... the drums!" He pressed a button, which made music start playing around the room as this happened.

_Here come the drums, here come the drums..._

The paradox machine then activated.

_Baby, baby, baby. You are my voodoo child, my voodoo child_

The Master then looked out of the window to the Valiant.

_Don't say maybe, maybe. It's supernatural, I'm comin' undone.._

Above the Valiant, a rift reared open in the sky.

_Baby, baby, baby. You are my voodoo child, my voodoo child_.

The Toclafane, by thousands, entered the rift and descended on to Earth by thousands at a time.

_Don't say maybe, maybe, its supernatural, I'm coming undone. Baby, baby, baby. You are my voodoo child, my voodoo child._

With that, the Master flipped a switch and the music stopped as he stood next to Lucy on the bridge, watching the Toclafane go down to Earth "How many do you think?" He asked.

"I don't know."

"Six billion," he then switched on an outside speaker so he could talk to the Toclafane "Down you go, kids!"

The Toclafane swarmed down to Earth, zeroing in everywhere. With there being six billion of them, they could basically be all over the world. They started firing at people who were on the streets, crashing into people's houses and killing them also.

"Shall we decimate them? That sounds good. Nice word-decimate," The Master then started talking to the Toclafane "Remove one-tenth of the population!"

Laura looked at Ross with a couple of tears streaming down her face as he whispered something into her ear, she stood up away from him as the chaos went on outside and messages of help came in from all over the world. Laura looked over to her family with tears in her eyes and letting them stream over to her face, then over to Riker and then giving one last look to Rocky.

She looked down at Ross for one final time, before shutting her eyes and activating the manipulator Riker had given her where then.. she disappeared off the Valiant. Ross, Riker and Rocky all exchanged a look each once Laura was gone before Ross looked over at the Master.

The Master then got Ross up off the floor, making him to look out of the window at the fall of Earth "And so it came to pass.. that the human race fell and the Earth was no more. And I looked down upon my new dominion as master of all and I thought it.. good."

All Ross could do was watch through the window at the Toclafane helplessly, he couldn't do anything anymore. He'd been turned into an old man, he couldn't even breathe properly.

Seen as though Laura was the only one of them that could do something, it was now up to her.

Laura teleported onto a field, onto the ground. She looked up, slowly getting up, overlooking the destruction of London as millions of Toclafane descended down to it. She watched with horror, but also knowing she was the only one who could do something about it.

"I'm coming back.." She said. She then turned around, running off into the woods that was behind her.

She was the only person left on the Earth that was free and not trapped by the Master or Toclafane. Ross couldn't do anything anymore, he's saved this place a lot of times before now and there had to be a day where he couldn't do anything to save the world, where it was up to somebody else to do it.

And even though Riker wanted her to run and get safe, there was no way in hell she was doing that.

The fate of the Earth rested upon her shoulders.

It was up to her to save the World.

**Next Time: **Last Of The Time Lords

* * *

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	30. Last Of The Time Lords: One Year Later

**Short Chapter. Why? Because your all too fucking lazy to fucking review. It seems you have some sort of disease where you don't read long chapters. So you know what? NO MORE long chapters seen as though none of you seem to fucking read them and review. Just nice short and sweet ones. You can only blame yourself if you feel the story getting boring and moving along slow now.**

**Sorry, but it does seem like you guys NEVER read the long chapters. I thought you'd prefer long to short.. apparently not.**

_Flashback_

**_Last Of The Time Lords: One Year Later_**

**_One Year Later_**

_Space lane traffic is advised to stay away from Sol 3, also known as Earth. Pilots are warned that Sol 3 is now entering terminal **extinction**. Planet Earth is closed. Planet Earth is closed. Planet Earth is closed._

* * *

A man, Tom, stood on the beach on the shore with an old fashioned lantern waving it out so if there was anybody out in the sea, they'd answer and come to him. He wasn't waiting for someone to come and save him. He was waiting for somebody else to come. He'd been waiting for a while now, and at long last an old wooden boat answered offshore with a light of it's own.

A figure in the distance was dressed in black wades, jumped off the boat and began to run onto the shore towards Tom.

It was Laura.

She had a big backpack on her bag, as well as dressed in the black wades, with her hair tied up in a ponytail. She came to a halt in front of Tom "What's your name, then?" Laura asked. Normally she'd of started to catch her breath, but she's been travelling the world on foot for a WHOLE year. She's been use to running now all the while Ross, Riker and Rocky are still trapped on that stupid Valiant aircraft with the Master.

At least, she hopes they're still alive and trapped there.

"Tom Milligan," Tom answered, he then looked Laura up and down "no need to ask who you are, the famous Laura Marano," he paused "how long since you were last in Britain?" He asked.

"365 days. It's been a longer year."

Soon after, they both started to walk up the beach "What's the plan?" Tom asked.

"This Professor Docherty. I need to see her. Can you get me there?"

Tom nodded "She works in a repair shed, Nuclear Plant 7. I can get you inside," he told her "what's all this for? What's so important about her?" Tom asked, confused. He knows who Professor Docherty is, and she's an old lady. What was so important about an old lady to someone who can, or is going to, save the world?

"Sorry," Laura shrugged "the more you know, the more you're at risk." There was a lot of people in danger for what Laura was going to do, well what Ross told her to go get, and she didn't want to put anybody else in that position of danger.

Tom looked down at Laura as they walked "There's a lot of people depending on you. You're a bit of a legend."

"What does the legend say?"

"That you sailed the Atlantic, walked across America. That you're the only person to get out of Japan alive. 'Laura Marano', they say, 'She's gonna save the world'," Tom explained "bit late for that." he mumbled.

Laura looked away from Tom, that was when she saw Tom's truck a short distance away "How come you can drive?" Laura asked, suspicious "don't you get stopped?"

"Medical staff. Used to be in paediatrics back in the old days. But that gives me a license to travel so I can help out at the labour camps."

"Great. I'm travelling with a doctor."

When they reached the truck, both of them climbed inside of it. "Story goes, that you're the only person on Earth who can kill him," Tom said. Starting the engine to the truck "that you, and you alone, can kill the Master stone dead."

Laura looked at Tom for a short while before looking away slowly "Lets just drive."

The Valiant still sailed high above the clouds, onboard with the Master, Lucy, Ross, Riker, Rocky, Vanessa, Francine and Clive. As everyone that was on board was getting on with what they had been doing for the past year, the Master spoke over the intercom "Citizens rejoice. Your lord and master stands on high playing Track 3."

The doors to the conference/bridge room, where Francine and Ross were, opened up where the Master spun out, dancing and singing along to the track 'I Can't Decide' by the Scissor Sisters as it played throughout the Valiant. Just singing and dancing along to it as if he owned the whole world.

Well, he did own the whole world now so he had a reason to sing and dance.

_I can't decide whether you should live or die..._

The Master strutted along the room, over beside Lucy who was wearing a long red gown.

_Though you'll probably go to heaven. Please don't hang your head and cry..._

Once he was beside Lucy, he gave her a long hard kiss on the lips.

_No wonder why my heart feels dead inside. It's cold and hard and petrified. Lock the doors and close the blinds, we're going for a ride..._

The Master then sat in one of the chairs at the table in the room and spun round on the chair as Francine, who was wearing a maid's uniform, came over and served him tea.

_Oh, I could throw you in a lake or feed you poisoned birthday cake. I won't deny I'm gonna miss you when you're gone..._

The Master spat out the tea before he ran up onto the bridge and began to ring an old fashioned ships bell, that was when Ross crawled out of a tent that had straw on the floor beside the steps that the Master was at the top of. And beside the tent, was a bowl that read "DOG".

The Master was taking this to extreme and, what he thought was, amusing levels for finally have Ross held captive.

_Oh, I could bury you alive but you might crawl out with a knife and kill me when I'm sleeping, that's why..._

The Master jumped down the stairs before picking Ross up to the ground by his collar before forcing him in the wheel chair that was behind him, starting to push Ross around the room whilst he still sang along to the song.

Well mimed.

_I can't decide whether you should live or die though you'll probably go to heaven. Please don't hang your head and cry. No wonder why my heart feels dead inside. It's cold and hard and petrified. Lock the doors and close the blinds, we're going for a ride... (1)_

The Master finished pushing Ross around in the wheel chair around the room, ending up by one of the windows where they both watched out of it. "It's ready to rise, Ross. The new Time Lord Empire," The Master said, that's when some of the Toclafane floated by "it's good isn't it? Isn't it good? Anything? No? Anything?" The Master waved his hand in front of Ross's face as he just stared out of the window "oh, but they broke your hearts, didn't they? Those Toclafane, ever since you worked out what they really are," the Master grinned "they say Laura Marano... has come back home. Now why would she do that?"

"Leave her alone." Ross spoke, which was for the first time in forever she had done.

The Master looked from the window and at Ross "But said something to her, didn't you? On the day I took control," he said "what did you tell her?"

"I have on thing to say to you. You know what it is."

"Oh, no you don't!" The Master the got up and pushed the wheel chair Ross was in until it hit a wall with him in.

A voice then started speaking over the intercom of the Valiant "Valiant now entering Zone One airspace. Citizens rejoice."

The Master then clapped his hands together "Come on, people! What are we doing? Launch Day in 24 hours!"

As Ross was sat in the wheel chair, he pressed three of his fingers against his thigh as Francine walked by, she saw the three fingers on his thigh and walked out into the corridor past Clive, who is now a janitor, where she then held up three fingers and kept on walking. When Rocky walked by, who was also a janitor along with Clive, he held up three of his fingers. Rocky nodded.

He turned around a corridor where he saw Vanessa coming his way, who was a maid as well as Francine, as she walked by he signaled her with three of his fingers also. Vanessa looked ahead of her where she approached a gated area, in which the guards let her into where Riker was.

Riker's wrists were manacled, arms outstretched and the chains he was tied to were attached to the wall on either side. "Morning, Vanessa," Riker said cheerfully, even though he'd been this way for the past year he still managed to find a way to be happy "ah, smell that sea air. Makes me long for good old fish and ships," he then laughed "yeah. What do I get? Cold mashed swede. Some hotel. Last time I book over the internet."

Vanessa fed Riker a spoon full of food and then held three fingers against the tray where Riker could see in sight. He winked at Vanessa seeing the three fingers.

In a rocky valley, there was a monumental statue of the Master carved in rock as Laura and Tom went across. "All over the Earth, those things," Laura said as she looked up to the statue "he's even carved himself into Mount Rushmore."

"Best to keep down. Here we go," Tom said. The two of them then peered over some rocks that were at the top of a hill they were getting across "the entire south coast of England... converted into shipyards. They bring in slave labour every morning," they looked where they could see Rocket Ships silos as far as the eye could see, they just went on and on and on with no end "break up cars, houses, anything, just for the metal. Building a fleet out of scrap."

"You should see Russia," Laura said as she overlooked the rockets "that's Shipyard Number One. All the way from the Black Sea to the Bering Strait. There's 100,000 rockets ready for war."

"War? With who?"

"The rest of the universe. I've been out there, Tom. In space. Before all this happened. And there's a thousand different civilizations all around us with no idea of what's happening here. The Master can build weapons big enough to devastate them all."

Tom looked at Laura in disbelief and shock "You've been in space?"

"Problem with that?" Laura asked, looking at Tom as if there was nothing strange or weird about it.

Tom shook his head "No. No, just uh... Wow. Anything else I should know?"

"I've met Shakespeare."

Two Toclafane then floated behind Laura and Tom, Tom turned around when he heard them whereas Laura just froze. Staying as still as she could. "Identify little man." One of the Toclafane said.

Tom started to become nervous and scared "I-I've got a license. Thomas Milligan, Peripatetic Medical Squad. I'm allowed to travel," he held up his license "I was just checking f-"

"Soon the rockets will fly and everyone will need medicine. You'll be so busy." both of the Toclafane's started to laugh before they flew away.

Tom turned around, facing Laura, with more confusion on his face then before "But, they didn't see you."

Laura took off the TARDIS key she had been wearing around her neck, the one that Ross had given her, Riker and Rocky to go unnoticed by everyone and everything "How do you think I travelled the world?" Laura asked, dangling the key off her hand by the chain to show Tom.

As they walked back to the truck, Laura explained the whole key situation to him "Cause the Master set up Archangel, that mobile network, 15 satellites around the planet, but really it's transmitting a low level psychic field. That's how everyone got hypnotised into thinking he was Calum Worthy."

"Worthy. Feels like years ago."

Laura went onto to explain "But the key's turned in to the same frequency. Makes me sort of... not invisible, just unnoticeable."

"But I can see you."

"That's because you want to." Laura laughed. Tom just shrugged. "Is there a Mrs Milligan?" Laura asked.

"No. No. What about you?" Tom asked.

"There used to be someone."

_"Rocky, Laura," Ross said, sounding full of regret which made them both worry "forgive me for this. It's to save a thousand lives, it means nothing. Honestly, nothing. Rocky, I have no idea if you've ever kissed a boy in your past, so therefore... It means nothing."_

_"Kissed a boy?" Rocky asked "what are y-" before Rocky got the chance to finish off his sentence, Ross grabbed Rocky's face by the cheeks and kissed him on the lips for around five seconds. He then pulled away, doing the same to Laura kissing her for around the same amount of time._

_She looked down at Ross for one final time, before shutting her eyes and activating the manipulator Riker had given her where then.. she disappeared off the Valiant._

She sighed "A long time ago, but he still loves someone else," She said "still long time ago now. Come on. I've got to find this Docherty woman." She then jumped into the car.

Tom got into the car a short while after "We'll have to wait until the next work shift," he shut the door and started the engine "what time is it now?"

"Nearly 3."

A clock on the bridge of the Valiant read "14:58". As soon as it hit that time, Ross looked over to Francine from where he was as well as Vanessa. From where Rocky, Clive and Riker were, they could both see the time. Riker started to pull on the chains he was attached to. The Master walked into the bridge room, followed by Lucy behind him "Time for my massage. Who shall I have today? Tanya. Come on, sweetheart. Lucy, have you met Tanya? She's gorgeous," The Master took off his jacket and threw it onto the table "Tanya, when we get to the stars, I'm gonna take you to Katria Nova. Whirlpools of gold." He then sat down.

The bolts that were holding Riker's chains started to slowly come free off the wall.

"You two should get to know each other," The Master said as he sat "that might be fun." Tanya then began to massage his shoulders.

Riker groaned as he finally managed to pull the chains free. He then pulled out a steam hose and turned it on his guard. Meanwhile, at the same time, Rocky was elsewhere on a different corridor of the Valiant where he and Clive threw water on some exposed wiring, starting a huge fire.

"Condition red." A Voice spoke over the intercom.

"What the hell?" The Master said as he jumped up off the seat, going up the stairs to the bridge.

Francine went over to the Master's coat as he wasn't looking, quickly grabbing it and throwing it to Vanessa who then threw it to Ross. Ross took out the laser screwdriver that belonged to none other than the Master before aiming it towards him. The Master turned around, seeing Ross aiming it at him "Oh, I see.." He said, putting his hands up as if he surrendered.

"I told you. I have one thing to say." Ross pressed the button the screwdriver, but it didn't work which caused the Master to just laugh.

Unfortunately for Clive and Rocky, as they were just getting started to take down the Master they were caught by the guards. As for Riker, armed guards stopped him as he went down the hallway. Riker rolled his eyes "Oh, here we go again.." Riker put out his arms as the men fired at him.

Some reason, everyone found joy and amusement in killing Riker over and over again even though he couldn't die.

Ross kept on trying and trying the screwdriver, but it just didn't seem to work for him. The Master leant over to Ross "Isomorphic controls," The Master took the screwdriver from Ross, where then he backhanded him across the face, sending him straight to the floor "which means they only work for me. Like this," The Master turned around and then shot the wall behind Francine "say sorry!"

"Sorry. Sorry. Sorry!" Francine repeated scared and close to tears.

"Didn't you learn anything from the blessed Saint Laura?" The Master asked them all. Lucy ran over, picking up his jacket and helping to put it on him "Siding with Ross is a very dangerous thing to do. Take them away."

The guards then forced Francine and Vanessa out of the room "Okay. Gotcha," The Master said, lifting Ross up off the floor and into a chair "there you go, Gramps," he then sat on the edge of the table "oh, do you know, I remember the days when the Ross, oh, the famous Ross, was waging a Time War. Battling Sea Devils and Axons. He sealed the rift at the _Medusa Cascade_ single-handed. Ooh. And look at him now. Stealing screwdrivers. How did he ever come to this? Oh yeah. Me!" The Master laughed.

"I just need you to listen.."

"No, it's my turn. Revenge! Best served hot. And this time... it's a message for Miss Marano."

* * *

_**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT ME TO POST THE NEXT ONE.**_

**Anyway, besides from the rough start... Who watched the trailer for Rydel's ARC I made? Are you freaking out because of who's on the trailer? Yes? No? Maybe? But seriously... How much LONGER can you wait for Rydel's arc to come now? I literally can't wait to write it, and it would be here sooner.. but seen as though CERTAIN people won't review or read when there's long chapters.. it's coming slower :)**

**I will say, the person who's on the trailer will be in the FIRST chapter Rydel's in, but on the last part of "Partners In Crime" :D**

**_5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT ME TO POST THE NEXT ONE._  
**

**(1) Scissor Sisters - I Can't Decide**


	31. Last Of The Time Lords: Saving Earth

_**Not the VERY last chapter with Rocky and Laura in.. But hey-ho :)**_

* * *

_**Last Of The Time Lords**_

Tom cut a hole through the chain-link fence, near to where Professor Docherty lived, big enough so he and Laura could fit through one at a time. Once they were through the gate, they ran across an open area of the compound, crouching down so they weren't spotted by any near-by or passing Toclafane, where at last they reached their destination.

When they walked into the old deserted building, Tom and Laura found Professor Docherty, an elderly woman, hitting an old monitor as she was trying to get it to work. "Professor Docherty?" Tom asked.

"Busy." Docherty replied as she kept on bashing the monitor with her fist.

"They, uh, they send word ahead. I'm Tom Milligan. This is Laura Marano." Tom introduced.

Docherty took a quick glance over at Laura before looking back at the monitor "She can be the Queen of Sheba for all I care. I'm still busy."

"Television's don't work anymore." Laura said as she watched Docherty try her best to get it working.

At last, Docherty gave up on trying to get the TV to work. She sighed "Oh, God, I miss Countdown. Hasn't been the same since Des took over. Both Deses. What's the plural of Des? Desii? Deseen? But we've been told there's gonna be a transmission," Docherty then went back to hitting the monitor "from the man himself," static then started to appear on the TV screen "There!"

A grainy black and white shot of The Master appeared onto the screen, broadcasting all over the world from the Valiant in the conference/bridge room. The Master looked into the camera "My people," The Master spoke "salutations on this, the eve of war. Lovely woman."

Down in the cells of the Valiant, Rocky, Vanessa, Francine and Clive watched, whereas Riker, who was back in chains, watched from where he was. "But I know there's all sorts of whispers down there. Stories of a child, walking the Earth, giving you hope," The Master then walked over and stood beside Ross who was still sat on a chair "but I ask you... how much hope has this man got? Say hello, Gandalf. Except he's not that old but he's an alien with a much greater life span than you stunted, little apes. What if it showed? What if I suspend your capacity to use your 13 lives? All 900 years of your life, Ross. What if we could see them?" once again, The Master started using his screwdriver on Ross, like he did before to turn him old "older and older and older," The Master repeated, as everyone watched as Ross writhed in agony from it "down you go, Ross," with that, Ross fell to the floor "down, down, down you go," at last, the Master stopped, letting silence take over "Ross.."

The Master bent down to see Ross's clothes lying on the floor, empty. As if Ross had disappeared into nothing. But up by the neck, a large domed head - about the size of a man's hand - peered out with huge, blinking eyes. The Master then got back up and walked back over to the camera "Received and understood, Miss Marano?" With that, the Master ended the transmission.

Tom looked at Laura "I'm sorry.."

Instead of frowning, or going to cry about it, a huge smile crept upon Laura's face "Ross is still alive." She said.

"Obviously the Archangel Network would seem to be.." Docherty started to speak from the monitor "the Master's greatest weakness. 15 satellites all around Earth, still transmitting. That's why there's so little resistance. It's broadcasting a telepathic signal that keeps people scared."

"We could just take them out." Tom said.

"We could. 15 ground-to-air missiles. You got any on you?" Docherty asked sarcastically "besides, any military action, the Toclafane descend."

Laura shook her head "They're not called Toclafane. That's a name the Master made up."

"Then what are they, then?"

"That's why I came to find you," Laura said, looking over at her "know your enemy. I've got this," she then pulled out a computer CD "no one's been able to look at a sphere close up. They can't even be damaged. Except once. The lightening strike in Africa brought one of them down. Just by chance. I've got readings on this."

Docherty took the disc off Laura and put it into the computer, she hit it a few times before it started to work "Oh, whoever thought we'd miss Bill Gates."

Tom looked from the computer and over at Laura "So is that why you travelled the world? To find a disc?"

Laura shook her head "No. Just got lucky."

"I heard stories that you walked the Earth to find a way to build a weapon," Docherty said, making Laura remember Ross whispering something into her ear the day she left everyone behind to go do this "there! A current of 58.5 kilo amperes transferred charge of 510 megajoules precisely."

"Can you recreate that?" Tom asked.

"Easily."

"All right then," Laura smiled brightly, putting her hands on her hips "Doctor Milligan, we're gonna get us a sphere."

* * *

Tom stood outside the plant with a gun in his hand, waiting for the signal off Docherty and Laura. Once he got the signal from Laura, he fired the gun up into the air three times and then took off running, soon enough with a sphere following him.

Laura watched for him out of the door of the old building while Docherty was making the final preparations. That was when Tom came into Laura's sighed "He's coming! You ready?!" Laura asked.

"You do your job, I'll do mine!" Docherty said as she worked.

"NOW!" Tom shouted.

Docherty then turned on the power where the sphere was caught in an electrical field, after a short while it dropped to the floor. The three approached it, looking down at it while Tom had his gun aimed at it. "That's only half the job," Docherty said "let's find out what's inside."

The Master took a timid Lucy into the Valiant's conference room "Tomorrow, they launch. We're opening up a rift in the Braccatolian space," he looked over at Ross, who was now in a gnome-like shape sat in a bird cage "they won't see us coming. Kinda scary."

"Then stop." Ross said.

"Once the empire is established and there's a new Gallifrey in the heavens, maybe then.. it stops," He looked at Ross through the bars of the bird cage he was sat in "the drumming. The never-ending drumbeat. Ever since I was a child. I looked into the vortex. That's when it chose me. The drumming, the call to war," he paused "can't you hear it? Listen, it's there now.." the 4 beat rhythm of drumming started in the Master's head again "right now. Tell me you can hear it, Ross. Tell me."

Ross shook his head, he couldn't hear anything "It's only you."

"Good."

The door opened up to the conference room and a sphere, a Toclafane, entered beginning to speak "Tomorrow, the war. Tomorrow we rise. Never to fall."

"You see?" The Master asked "I'm doing it for them! You should be grateful! After all," The Master grinned "you love them. So very, very much."

Docherty continued on working on opening up the sphere "There's some sort of magnetic clamp," she paused "hold on, I'll just trip the-" with that, the clamp on the sphere and Docherty opened up the sides of it like petals "oh my god!" She said, shocked and horrified to find what was inside.

Laura and Tom peered inside, only to be startled by what was inside of it. There was a wizened human head attached to the machinery, lights came on and it opened it's eyes looking up at the three in front of it. All of them jumped back, startled. "It's alive.." Docherty said, in some sort of shock.

"Laura. Laura Marano." The Sphere started to speak.

Tom looked over to Laura in shock "It knows you."

"Sweet, kind Laura Marano. You helped us to fly." The Sphere continued on speaking.

"What do you mean?" Laura asked, confused. Who'd she helped to fly? She's never helped anybody to fly, not physically anyway.

"You led us to salvation."

"Who are you?" Laura asked.

"The skies are made of diamonds." The Sphere said.

Laura gasped and her face dropped "No.." she stepped back away from the sphere "you can't be him..."

_"Who are you with, Creet?" Laura asked, looking down at him "you got family?"_

_Creet shook his head "No, miss. There's just me."_

_Laura smiled at him, even though she found it sad a 10 year old had no family to be with going to Utopia "Well, good luck," She said "what do you think it's going to be like in Utopia?"_

_Creet smiled "My mum used to say **the skies are made of diamonds**."_

"We share each other's memories. You sent him to Utopia." The Sphere continued on saying.

"Oh my god!" Laura shrieked in horror.

"What's it talking about? What's it mean?" Tom asked, starting to become a little bit panicked and worried.

"What are they?" Docherty asked.

Tom stood in front of Laura, trying to get her to come back down to reality "Laura. Laura, tell us. Who are they?"

Laura felt like she'd lost the ability to speak. She helped send a 10 year old boy, along with god knows how many more, to somewhere where they would be murdered and turned into these things and NOT where they thought would be freedom and safety.

She met Tom's eyes at long last "They're us. They're humans. The human race from the future."

* * *

"Ross and the Master, they've been coming to Earth for years," Laura started to explain a long while later after finally coming back from shock "and they've been watched," she then took a case from her pack "there's UNIT and Torchwood, all studying the Time Lords in secret. And they made this. The ultimate defence." Laura opened up the case which revealed, what looked to be, a special sort of gun.

"All you need to do is get close. I can shoot the Master dead with this." Tom said, pulling out his own gun.

Docherty lowered the gun that Tom was showing "Actually, you can put that down now, thank you very much."

Laura shook her head, going back to talk about Ross and the Master and this special gun she had "Point is, it's not easy to kill a Time Lord. They can either regenerate or use up the 13 lives they have; literally bringing themselves back no matter what. Except this," Laura picked up the gun with three small tubes sticking out the top with one missing, showing it with a small smile "four chemicals, slotted into the gun, inject him… kills a Time Lord permanently.

Tom had his arms crossed, giving Laura a funny look as he looked at the gun "Four? You've got three."

"Still need the last one because the components of this gun were kept safe, scattered across the world. And I found them. San Diego, Beijing, Budapest and London."

"Then where is it?"

Laura looked at Tom after finally stopping looking at the gun "There's an old UNIT base, north London. I've found the access codes. Tom, you've got to get me there."

Tom and Laura then took their leave "We can't go across London in the dark. It's full of wild dogs, we'd get eaten alive. We can wait till the morning, then go with the medical convoy. But, I suppose we can get half way, stay at the slave quarters in Bexley," he turned round to Docherty "Professor, thank you." He shook her hand.

"Good luck." Docherty smiled. She then turned round facing Laura "Laura, could you do it? Could you actually kill him?" She asked, referring to the Master.

Laura shrugged "Got no choice."

"You might be many things, but you don't look like a killer to me." Docherty said.

**Night Time**

Night time soon came for Laura and Tom, the pair of them started creeping down a dark street row of houses. The street looked completely deserted, there were empty boxes, rubbish and some abandoned cars that had obviously been stuck there for the past year since the Master took over. That, or people have tried to escape and failed. Laura likes to think that they were from last year, she hates the thought of people being killed just because they want freedom and things to go back to how they use to.

Both of them snuck past two guards and up to one of the houses. Tom started knocking on the door "Let me in. it's Milligan."

The door opened up and they both rushed into the house, seeing it was crowded with lots of people inside with barely any room to move. When they entered the house, a boy who looked about twelve came walking over to Laura "Are you Laura Marano?" The boy asked.

Laura smiled "Yeah, that's me."

The boy smiled brightly, finally filling up with hope "Can you do it? Can you kill him? They said you can kill the Master, can you? Tell us you can do it. Please tell us you can do it." He started to beg.

Laura continued to smile down at the little boy, she looked around seeing everyone was looking at her hopefully. It was amazing how the whole world knew who she was and how they depended on her to kill the Master and bring things back to order to how they use to be.

Docherty approached a curtained=off room and opened a false high voltage panel which was hiding a working computer. The Archangel Network logo rotated onscreen "Access Priority one. This is Professor Alison Docherty."

_"State your intent." _The computer spoke

"First of all, I need to know about my son."

_"State your intent."_

"Is my son still alive?" Docherty asked.

_"State your intent." _

Docherty sighed. She couldn't believe she was about to do this, just to know if her son was alive "I have some information for the Master… concerning Laura Marano."

Laura sat on the staircase of the house she had just arrived in, surrounded by everyone in the household, still explaining a story to her "I travelled across the world. From the ruins of New York, to the fusion mills of China, right across the radiation pits of Europe. And everywhere I went, I saw people just like you, living as slaves," Laura told them "but if Laura Marano became a legend, then that's wrong because my name isn't important. There's someone else. The guy who sent me out there. The guy who told me to walk the Earth. His name is Ross," she took a small pause, letting them all absorb that in "he has saved your life so many times, and you never even knew he was there. He never stops. He never stays. He never asks to be thanked. But I've seen him. I know him. I love him," she admitted at the last part, but still knowing that nothing's _ever _going to happen for them both. Key name = Ellington Lee Ratliff. She then looked at them smiling "and I know what he can do."

As Laura went to go on, the woman who let them into the house pushed her way forward, frantic with worry "It's him! It's him! Oh my god, it's him! It's the Master! He's here!"

Laura stood up on the steps.

"Laura. Laura Mar-hano," The Master said high pitched as he walked down the street "I can see you! Out you come, little girl. Come and meet your master. Anybody? Nobody? No? Nothing?" He looked at the soldiers that were beside him "Positions!" he ordered "I'll give the order unless you surrender. Ask yourself – what would Ross do?"

Laura removed the TARDIS key from round her neck, walking down to the bottom of the steps where everyone looked in her direction. Outside, the Master was still waiting when the door opened to a house and out came Laura standing on the street "Oh, yes!" The Master clapped "oh, very well done! Good girl! He trained you well!" The Master said brightly as Laura walked onto the street with her bag on her back, with the gun inside to kill him "bag. Give me the bag," The Master ordered seeing it, Laura went to go walk forwards but the Master stopped her "No. Stay there. Just throw it." he said. Laura done as the Master said, she threw the bag onto the floor where the Master then fired his laser at it, destroying everything inside.

Including the gun to kill him.

"And now, good companion, your work is done." He said, holding out his laser.

Tom had enough, he opened the door to the street and ran out aiming his gun at the Master "NO!"

The Master shot Tom as soon as he stepped out, he fell to the floor dead as Laura could only glare at him whilst the Master chuckled "But… when you die, Ross should be witness, hm?" The Master inhaled deeply "almost dawn, Laura. And planet Earth marches to war."

The doors to the conference room on the Valiant slid open where two guards escorted Laura into it, she walked forward alone looking around her at the familiar faces that were there that she was so happy to see. To one side, she saw her family and to the other side she saw Rocky and Riker being held by guards as she walked down to the front of the conference room. At the base of the stairs, to her right was Ross in his cage where she smiled softly.

Riker moved to over to Laura, but stopped when the guard motioned with his gun.

The Master looked down at Laura as she stood in front of him "Your teleport device. In case you thought I'd forgotten," He said, holding out his hand. Laura reached into the pocket of her trousers and threw him the manipulator "And now… kneel," He said, Laura did so "down below, the fleet is ready to launch. Two hundred thousand ships set to burn across the universe," he went over to the intercom "are ready?" He asked.

_"The fleet awaits your signal." _A man said through the intercom.

"Three minutes to align the black hole converters. Counting down!" The Master said, a clock on the wall started to count down the seconds "I never could resist a ticking clock. My children, are you ready?"

Up above Earth, were billions and billions of spheres waiting above the Earth. "We will fly and blaze and slice!" The spheres kept on repeating.

The Master went off the intercom and looked down at Laura "At zero, to mark this day, the child, Laura Marano, will die. Ha, my first blood. Ha, any last words?" he asked, Laura just stayed silent.

He then looked over to Ross.

"C'mon Ross, you had a companion who could absorb the heart of the TARDIS," The Master said, referring to Ratliff, with a grin "wouldn't it be great if he was still here? Because let's face it, this one's useless, a disappointment," he looked down at Laura "bow your head," she done so "and so it falls to me, the Master of all, to establish from this day, a new order of Time Lords! From this day forward-"The Master was cut off by Laura chuckling "what? What's so funny?"

"A gun?" Laura asked, looking up at the Master referring to the one she had to kill him.

"What about it? I destroyed it."

Laura chuckled more "A gun in four parts scattered across the Earth?" she asked with a chuckle "I mean, come on. Did you _really_ believe that?" You know, the Master claims he's smart. But obviously not smart enough to know it was a trick.

The Master looked down at Laura "What do you mean?"

"As if I would ask her to kill." Ross said from the cage he was in.

"Oh, well, it doesn't matter. I've got her exactly where I want her."

"But I knew what Professor Docherty would do," Laura said "the Resistance knew about her son."

_"That's why I came to find you," Laura said, looking over at Docherty "know your enemy."_

"I told her about the gun, so she'd get my here. At the right time," Laura said with a grin "don't you wanna know what I was doing? Travelling the world? I told a story, that's all. No weapons, just words. I did what Ross said. I went across the continents all on my own. And everywhere I went, I found the people, and I told them my story."

_"He has saved your life so many times, and you never even knew he was there. He never stops. He never stays. He never asks to be thanked. But I've seen him. I know him."_

"I told them about Ross," Laura went on "and I told them to pass it on, to spread the word so that everyone would know about Ross."

"Faith and hope?" The Master asked, like it was nothing and the most pathetic plan he had every head. Which it was "is that all?"

Laura shook her head, still with the big grin "No, 'cause I gave them an instruction just like Ross said." Laura stood up from the floor to her two feet.

_"Use the countdown…" Ross whispered into Laura's ear, knowing that this would be the last time he would see her for a VERY long time._

"I told them that if everyone thinks of one word, at one specific time—"

"Nothing will happen!" The Master raised his voice "is that your weapon?! Prayer?!"

"Right across the world. One word, just one thought, at one moment but… with 15 satellites!"

"What?"

Rocky smiled "The Archangel Network."

Laura looked over at Rocky and back over to the Master "A telepathic field binding the whole human race together, with all of them, every single person on Earth, thinking the same thing at the same time," she explained to the Master, taking a slight pause "and that word is… Ross."

The countdown on the clock finally reached zero, and once it did a glowing field of ringed around Ross. "Stop it!" The Master said in horror, finally realising what was happening "No, no, no, no, you don't!"

Riker shut his eyes along with Francine, Vanessa and Clive before saying and thinking the same thing "Ross…"

Rocky's eyes then fell shut "Ross…"

"Do—" The Master was cut off by a large plasma screen on the walls, showing crowds of people across the world gathered in public places all saying 'Ross'.

"Stop this right now! Stop it!" The Master shouted, going into some sort of temper tantrum.

And as if it couldn't get any worse, Lucy – The Master's own wife – shut her eyes "Ross…" She said.

"Ross…" Riker, Rocky and Laura all said again at near enough the same time.

Still with an energy field around him, Ross had broken from the cage and was now an old man "I've had a whole year to tune myself into the psychic network and integrate with its matrices." Ross said, as he was slowly changing back into his normal young self.

"I order you to stop!"

As people around the world kept on saying Ross's name out loud and thinking it, along with everyone in the room, Ross had finally returned to his old, young, blonde haired self "The one thing you can't do. Stop them thinking." Riker, Rocky and Laura all laughed as the Master became shocked, using the telepathic field, Ross started to levitate "tell me the human race is degenerate now when they can do this." Ross said.

Laura ran from where she was over to her family and hugged them all. "No!" The Master shouted, shooting his laser at Ross but the field around him deflected it. "Then I'll kill them!" The Master said turning around and aiming it at Laura and her family, only for Ross to throw it across the room telekinetically. Being unarmed, the Master started to panic "You can't do this! You can't do-It's not fair!"

"And you know what happens now." Ross said as he got closer to the Master.

"No!" The Master shouted as Ross floated over to the Master who backed away down the stairs "No!" he started to grovel "No! No!"

"You wouldn't listen."

"No!"

"Because you know what I'm going to say."

"NO!" The Master then curled into a foetal position.

Ross landed on the floor, going over to the whimpering Master and wrapping his arms around him comfortingly "I forgive you…"

"NO!"

Ross turned his head, looking over to Rocky and Riker "Riker, Rocky, Paradox Machine!"

"Let's go!" Riker said, snatching two guns off the guards, one for Rocky and one for himself.

Rocky and Riker raced through the hallways of the Valiant to make their way to the TARDIS AKA the paradox machine. They were going to turn it back into the actual TARDIS. It took them a couple of minutes, but at last they reached the TARDIS but there was three spheres guarding it. Rocky and Riker aimed the guns at the spheres, firing like mad at them all. "We can't get in!" Rocky said as he continued to fire "well, I can't! If I try I'll get slaughtered!"

"Stay back then." Riker then went in firing at the spheres.

Rocky fired at the spheres to have Riker's back until he made it into the TARDIS. Riker shut the doors of the TARDIS, turning around and firing bullets at the casing of the centre of the paradox machine, causing sparks.

Destroying the paradox machine at long last.

Rocky and Riker did it.

Around the world as well as the Valiant, all the spheres started to disappear from the face of the Earth. That's when the ship started rocking violently as the paradox was destroyed and Laura was thrown back, only to be caught by Ross "Everyone down!" Ross shouted "time's reversing!"

Everyone fell to the floor. Ross and Laura lied face to face with each other laughing as they were going back in time.

Time rolled back on Earth, making people scream as they didn't know what was going on where they then disappeared and as did the statues of the Master along with the shipyards. Time eventually slowed down and the Valiant stilled. Major cities on the Earth then were all back to normal.

Why?

Because once the paradox machine was destroyed, it sent them back in time to the day the Master took control. RIGHT before he did.

This way, they get a second chance to stop him.

Even though they already have.

Ross stood up and checked the controls "The paradox is broken. We've reverted back, one year and one day. Two minutes past 8:00 in the morning." Ross turned on the intercoms.

_"This is UNIT Central. What's happened up there? We just saw the President assassinated."_

"You see?" Ross asked, turning back to everyone "just after the President was killed, but just before the spheres arrived. Everything back to normal. Planet Earth restored. None of it happened. The rockets, the terror. It never was." He smiled.

"What about the spheres?" Laura asked.

Ross looked over at Laura with a small smile "Back to normal. At the end of the universe safe and sound."

"But I remember it…" Francine said.

"We're at the eye of the storm. The only one's who'll ever know," Ross looked around the room where he saw Clive, Laura's dad "Oh, hello! You must be Mr Marano! We haven't actually met."

The Master made a break for the door, but was stopped by Riker and Rocky grabbing an arm each and pulling him back into the room as they returned to the conference room. "Whoa, big fella!" Riker said "don't wanna miss the party!"

"Cuffs," Rocky said to the guard, the guard handed Rocky the cuffs and cuffed the Master's hand behind his back "so, what do we do with this one?" Rocky asked.

The Master looked over at Ross "You still haven't answered the question. What happens to me?" he asked.

"You're my responsibility from now on," Ross said "the only Time Lord left in existence."

Riker kept hold of the Master as Rocky went over to Ross "Dude, you can't trust him…"

"No. the only safe place for him is the TARDIS."

"You mean you're just gonna… keep me?" The Master asked.

"Hmmm. If that's what I have to do," Ross then looked at Rocky "it's time to change. Maybe I've been wandering for too long. Now I'll have someone to care for."

A gunshot then rang out through the entire room where the Master started to stagger backwards, they looked to where Lucy was holding the gun. Rocky took the gun from Lucy as Ross ran over to the Master. "There you go," Ross said, grabbing the Master "I've got you. I've got you…" Ross said, lowering him gently to the floor.

"Always the women." The Master said, referring to how he got shot by Chantho at the end of the universe before he regenerated. "dying in your arms. Happy now?"

"You're not dying, don't be stupid. It's only a bullet. Just regenerate." Ross said.

"No."

"One little bullet. Come on.."

"I guess you don't know me so well," The Master said "I refuse."

At that point, Ross started to break. He didn't want to be the last of his kind anymore "Regenerate. Just regenerate. Please! Please! Just regenerate! Come on!"

"And spend the rest of my life imprisoned with you?"

"You've got to. Come on. It can't end like this. You and me, all the things we've done. Axons? Remember the Axons? And the Dalek's? we're the only two left, there's no one else," Ross said, his voice breaking "REGENERATE!"

"How about that? I win," The Master paused "will it stop, Ross? The drumming. Will it stop?" He asked.

That was the last thing he ever said before he passed on, dead.

Ross just held the Master close, rocking back and forth as he cried. He screamed in despair at the loss as the others just simply looked on at him.

The only good thing that came out of today was the Earth being saved.

* * *

**Okay, so the next chapter is the _final_ chapter with Rocky & Laura in it ;) THEN WE'RE ONTO RYDEL'S ARC AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR MAJOR REASONS. R5-is-so-amazing knows why ;) & if you all watched the trailer for Rydel's ARC, you'd all know WHY I'm so excited!**

**5 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE**


	32. Rocky Lynch & Laura Marano

**I know I said I'd wait for 5 reviews and tomorrow but I just couldn't wait any longer.**

**Okay then, here we are :) The final chapter with Rocky & Laura in! Enjoy :) **

* * *

_**Rocky Lynch & Laura Marano**_

Professor Alison Docherty walked through the park by herself, watching as the world went by her. That's when she heard footsteps coming from behind her, running. She figured it was someone chasing after someone else, but no. A small brown haired petite girl, Laura, jumped in front of her with a bouquet of flowers. Laura handed them to her "Just so say, I don't blame you." Laura smiled before walking away.

Docherty took the flowers from the stranger who walked away "But who are you?" Docherty asked. She watched as Laura just disappeared into the crowd, looking down at the flowers with a smile before walking away happier than she was already.

How sweet of a stranger to do that.

Back in Cardiff, Ross, Riker, Rocky and Laura were all standing by the rails by the Pierhead Building, near the new Torchwood, and looking out over the bay. "Time was, every single one of these people knew your name," Rocky said, looking at Ross "now they've all forgotten you."

"Good." Ross said, looking as everyone walked by them.

Riker sighed, climbing underneath the rails "Back to work." He said, referring to Torchwood.

"I really don't mind though," Ross said, looking at Riker with a small smile "come with me."

Riker let out a small laugh, remembering the last time he went on a journey with Ross "I had plenty of time to think that past year," Riker said "the Year That Never Was. And I kept thinking about that team of mine," he said, still with a small smile "like you said, Ross, responsibility."

"Defending the Earth. Can't argue with that." Ross went to go shake Riker's hand but exposed the time manipulator.

"Hey, I need that!"

"I can't have you walking around with a time-travelling teleport." Ross said, using the sonic screwdriver on it "you could go anywhere – twice. The second time to apologize."

Riker rolled his eyes. "And what about me? Can you fix that?" Riker asked, referring to him being immortal "will I ever be able to die?"

Ross shook his head "Nothing I can do. You're an impossible thing, Riker."

Riker laughed "Been called that before," Riker then started to leave, but then turned back and stopped "but I keep wondering… what about aging? 'Cause I can't die but I keep getting older. The odd little grey hair, you know? What happens if I live for a million years?"

Ross shrugged "Don't know."

Riker chuckled "Okay, vanity. Sorry. Yeah, can't help it. Used to be a poster boy when I was a kid back on the Boeshane Pennisula. Tiny little place. I was the first one ever to be signed up for the Time Agency. They were so proud of me. The Face of Boe they called me." Riker said with a smile, making Ross, Rocky and Laura's face turned from smiling to stun.

The Face of Boe.

As in the The Face of Boe who told Ross that he wasn't alone because of the Master and warned him about what was going to happen?

THAT Face of Boe?

"I'll see you guys some other time maybe." Riker then turned around, running across the Plas towards the water tower.

"Can't be…" Laura said, still stunned from what Riker had just told them.

"No, definitely not. No," Ross said. Laura laughed along with Rocky "No..." Ross said, then he also started to laugh.

Laura's family was all back home and together at long last. Ross watched from outside the window as he leaned against the TARDIS, Francine looked out at him and gave him a small smile before went back inside the TARDIS which was finally back to normal. The canister containing his hand Riker had, had rested on the floor by the console, Ross just reclined on the jump seat and put his feet up on the console as he waited for Rocky and Laura to come back.

Laura came walking out of the house on the phone "Laura! I'll be out there in a minute!" Rocky called. "Alright!" Laura said, keeping the phone to her ear when someone answered "Yeah. Could you put me through? Hi, I'm looking for a Doctor Thomas Milligan."

Tom, who was at the hospital's A&E, came to the phone and answered "Hello?"

Laura opened her mouth to speak to him but she didn't, instead she closed her phone and smiled. She then looked to the TARDIS where the smile fell from her face, she then walked into the TARDIS slowly. Ross peered around the central column as Laura came in "Right then!" Ross said, getting up "I know Rocky isn't here, but I'll just tell you where I figured we could go," Laura continued to not smile as Ross went onto speak "there is a burst of star fire right now over the coast of Meta Sigma folio. Oh, the sky is like oil on water. Fancy a look? Or—"Ross stopped when he saw Laura wasn't smiling, he then immediately sobered knowing what it meant "oh."

"I just can't…" Laura said softly "spent all these years training to be a doctor. Now I've got people to look after. They saw half the planet slaughtered and they're devastated. I can't leave them."

"Of course not," Ross smiled and hugged her "thank you," he pulled away "Laura Marano you saved the world."

Laura smiled proudly "Yes I did," She said "I spent a lot of time with you thinking I was second best, or third best because of Rocky. But you know what? I _am_ good," she then looked at Ross, letting out a sigh "you gonna be alright?"

"Always, yeah."

"Right then," Laura kissed Ross on the cheek "have fun travelling with Rocky," she then walked out of the TARDIS. She went to go walk off, but she stopped and went back into the TARDIS talking "'Cause the thing is, it's like my friend Vicky, she lived with this guy, student housing, there were five of them, all packed in, and this guy was called Sean. And she loved him, she did. Completely adored him. Spent all day long talking about him."

Ross looked at Laura with confusion "Is this going anywhere?" he asked.

"Yes!" Laura said, Ross crossed his arms, leaning against the console "'Cause he never looked at her twice. I mean, he liked her, but that was it. And she wasted years pining after him, years of her life, 'because all the while he was around, she never looked at anyone else. And I told her, I always said to her, time and time again. I said: Get out. So this is me, getting out," Laura said, taking a deep breath. She then went into her pocket and tossed her mobile phone to him "keep that. 'Because I'm not having you disappear. If that rings, _when_ it rings, you better come running. Got it?"

"Got it."

"I'll see you again mister." Laura smiled at him, he smiled back at her and watched as she left the TARDIS.

Ross waited a few moments until Rocky came in. rocky looked at Ross "Why isn't Laura coming?" Rocky asked.

"Because her family needs her, they saw half the world get slaughtered, Rocky."

"Oh... yeah… almost forgot about that."

Silence fell over them both for a small while, because Ross just knew Rocky wasn't going to come around in the TARDIS with him without Laura. Rocky looked at Ross, breaking the silence "How longs it been?" Rocky asked.

Ross looked at Rocky confused "How long's it been since what?"

"Since you were last in the TARDIS with a certain boy by yourself?"

Ross sighed, turning round facing the TARDIS completely ignoring Rocky's question. He wasn't going to go through with it with him, not now. But to answer Rocky's question, a year. "Look," Rocky said "I know it's hard… but… I don't wanna stay because I know all it's going to do is remind you, okay? That… and… I have to stay because of Laura. And Rydel. I haven't seen Rydel for a while… I should really go see her." He said, making the last part sound thoughtful.

Ross let out a small laugh, he looked at Rocky "Well then, it's been fun Rocky."

Rocky smiled back at him "I know and I would gladly do it all again for anything in the entire world," Rocky said "of course… not what JUST happened with the Master. I don't think I could go through with the end of the world again." He let out a small laugh along with Ross.

"Can you do me a favour though?" Rocky asked.

"What?" Ross asked.

"Just… find someone… I can't bear the thought of you being in here all by yourself."

Ross smiled "I'm sure I'll find someone."

"Good." Rocky said with satisfaction "now, if you excuse me… I better get going."

"Bye Rocky." Ross said.

"Later." Rocky said as he exited the TARDIS.

When he was out of the TARDIS, he turned around and watched as it started to dematerialise with the wind blowing around him, hearing the distant noise of the TARDIS. He sighed and turned around.

Only to knock into someone "Oh shit, sorry." Rocky said, looking at the guy in front of him.

"It's okay," the guy said, sounding out of breath. He looked around and back at Rocky "What was that? What... what was that noise? Like... yeah?" He asked.

"Oh, nothing," Rocky lied "just... nothing." The guy just nodded, looking sort of disappointed "you look disappointed about something… what's wrong?" he asked.

He didn't know why he was asking the guy these questions, he just… seemed like someone Rocky could talk to or that he already knew. The guy looked at Rocky "Oh, nothing. Doesn't matter."

Rocky looked the boy up and down, he looked really familiar to him "Sorry… but... Do I know you? Have we met?" Rocky asked.

The guy shook his head "No… I don't think so," He said "I don't know who you are." The guy lied. Of course he knew who Rocky was. "I was just passing by… I _shouldn't_ even _be_ here…"

Rocky nodded. The guy still looked like he was lost "Are you sure you're okay?" Rocky asked "you really do look lost and that you're not from here."

"Oh, no. I _am_ from here, trust me," The guy said, looking around "guess…. I need to try somewhere else…"

"You looking for someone?"

"Yeah… it's okay though. I'll just… keep searching." The guy then turned around to walk away then stopped, turning back to Rocky "thank you by the way…"

"No problem?" Rocky said confused. How did he even help the guy? "Good luck in finding whoever you're looking for by the way." The guy then nodded, running off down the street and turning round the corner.

Where Rocky could have sworn he saw him disappear in a flash of blue light.

Oh well, Rocky didn't even know who he was.

Why should he care?

**_Next Time:_** Partners In Crime

_**Then:** _The Fires Of Pompeii

_**Later:**_The Beginning Of The End

**_After_: **Midnight

_**Then:** _Turn Left

* * *

**I decided to name 5 chapters this time instead of just 4 :) So now, we're moving onto Rydel's Era! ;D**

**PLEASE WATCH THE TRAILER for it :) Then.. You may have a clue as to who it was just then who Rocky bumped into :) The link is at the top of my profile under "Rydel's Arc Trailer" but in caps :)**

**Points if you can guess who it was WITHOUT even watching the trailer :)**

**5 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**


	33. Partners In Crime: The Adipose

_Computer voice/Miming/Mouthing through a window_

* * *

**_Partners In Crime: The Adipose_**

Clinging onto a red folder, Rydel walked along a crowded street as fast as she could trying to get to the Adipose Industries as fast as she could. Some people call her a little bit idiotic at times, but she's not. Ever since she met Ross just gone 2 years ago, she'd always been so interested and looking at all the weird happenings that were going on around London as well as England. Hoping that somewhere he would be there. Right now, the next place is Adipose Industries.

Pills that turn fat people thin? Yeah, definitely something supernatural going on there.

See, she's not all that dozy.

Meanwhile, on another crowded street. Ross was doing the same. Going through the crowd and making his way to the Adipose Industries because of the "strange happenings". Of course, he had no clue Rydel was going to the same place. You'd of thought he'd of got a break after what just happened.

A Titanic replica crashed into the side of the TARDIS… Titanic almost crashed onto Earth…Yeah. Just. That. Long story short.

Rydel looked up at the tall building in front of her and then walked towards it. Ross looked up at the same building also, but from the other side before also making his way into it. At the back door, which was the door Ross went through, he opened up the fire exit with the sonic and entered the building. Rydel flashed a security guard a card "Rydel Lynch, Health and Safety." She said, before walking by him.

Ross walked on a deserted hallway in the building when he saw a security guard giving him a funny look, so he flashed the psychic paper to him "Ross Lynch, Health and Safety." He said.

Around three dozen people, including Rydel, all sat in a lecture room listening to a woman called Miss Foster talking about the capsule "Adipose Industries. The 21st century way to lose weight. No exercise, no diet, no pain. Just lifelong freedom from fat. The Holy Grail of the modern age. And here it is. You just take one capsule, once a day, for three weeks. And the fat, as they say…"

_"The fat just walks away."_ The computer spoke.

"Excuse me, Miss Foster, if I could?" A girl called Penny interrupted "I'm Penny Carter, science correspondent for The Observer. There are a thousand diet pills on the market, a thousand con men stealing people's money. How do we know the fat isn't going straight into your bank account?"

"Oh Penny, if cynicism burnt up calories, we'd all be as thin as rakes. But if you want the science, I oblige."

_"Adipose Industries. The Adipose capsule is composed of a synthesised mobilising lipase, bound to a large protein molecule."_

Ross watched the demonstration from the projector room, watching it through the window only being able to see Miss Foster but nobody else in the room. _"The mobilising lipase breaks up the trigycerides stored in the adipose cells, which then enter..."_

Ross looked to his left seeing a man handling the projector, who he didn't see. He then showed him the psychic paper quickly "Health and Safety. Film department." He said, then watched as Miss Foster went onto talk.

"100 percent legal, 100 percent effective." She said,

Once again, the girl Penny interrupted "But, can I just ask, how many people have taken the pills to date?"

"We've already got one million customers within the Great London alone. But from next week, we start rolling out nationwide. The future starts here. And Britain will be _thin_."

In the call centre of the Adipose Industries, phones continued to ring throughout the room as Rydel went through, trying to find a desk where someone was busy even though she had plenty of choices. That was when she just sat at the next desk by an employee called Craig as he talked on the phone "That's a three-week course of pills for a special price of 45 pounds." He said to the customer down the phone, that's when he noticed Rydel and gave her a funny look.

"Rydel Lynch, Health and Safety. Don't mind me." Rydel whispered as she sat down beside him.

Ross, doing pretty much the same thing, went through the same call centre and ended up at a desk with an employee called Clare who was also on the phone. And her booth was only about 2 away from Rydel's. "Ross Lynch, Health and Safety. Don't mind me." Ross whispered sitting down.

"The box comes with 21 days' worth of pills, a full information pack, and our special free gift, an Adipose Industries pendant." Craig said, still on the phone.

Clare was doing the same, talking on the phone, but was looking at Ross as she done so "It is made of 17 carat gold, and it's yours for free. No, we don't give away free pens, sorry. No, I can't make an exception, no."

Rydel took a pendant of her own, all it was, was a golden necklace with the shape of a capsule at the end. So she just took one and put it into her pocket "I'll just need to keep this for testing. And I just need a list of your customers. Could you print it off?" Rydel asked.

Craig nodded "Suppose so."

Rydel then stood up from where she sat, overlooking the office for the printer "Which plant?" Rydel asked "that plant?" she asked, pointing over to it.

"Yeah, that's the one."

"Lovely." Rydel smiled before sitting back down.

Just as Rydel sat down, Ross stood up also looking for the printer "That's the printer there?" Ross asked.

"By the plant, yeah."

"Brilliant." Ross smiled, sitting back down.

Once again, Rydel stood back up looking over at the printer "Does it need a code? Last place I worked, the printer needed a code."

"No, I can do it from here." Craig said. Rydel then sat back down.

Ross stood back up "Has it got paper?" Ross asked.

Clare nodded "Yeah, Jimbo keeps it stocked."

Ross nodded "Okay." He said, sitting back down.

A small while later, Miss Foster walked into the room with two body guards in tow "Excuse me, everyone, if I could have your attention." She said. Everyone in the room stood up, except for Ross and Rydel who looked up and hid in turns as Miss Foster turned to different sides of the room as she talked "On average, you're each selling forty Adipose packs per day. It's not enough. I want one hundred sales per person per day. And if not, you'll be replaced. Cause if anyone is good in trimming the fat, it's me. Now, back to it." With that, Miss Foster turned around and left the room.

Ross turned around in the chair he was in, looking at Clare "Anyway, if you could print that off. Thanks." He said.

"So if you could just print off that list, I'll get out of your way," Rydel said standing up, Craig then clicked the print button "lovely! Thanks, then. See you!" She then walked over to the printer.

"Thanks then," Ross said standing up, only to be pulled back down as Clare gave him something on a piece of paper "oh, what's that?" He asked, taking it.

"My telephone number." She said.

"What for?" Ross asked, becoming confused.

"Health and safety. You be health, I'll be safety." She winked.

"Aah. Ahh," Ross said, trying to come up with some sort of excuse "that contravenes ah, paragraph five, subsection C. Sorry."

Ross then stood up and went over to the printer, having his back turned on Rydel – not even knowing it – who was already leaving with the customer list. Well, lists. She didn't realise she'd picked up two, one of them being Ross's. Ross turned around to the printer, seeing nothing there, he sighed and went back over to Clare and smiled at her over the board "Me again." He said.

Knocking on a door, at night time, Rydel looked down at the list of customers she'd been given by the employee at Adipose Industries. The door opened, she looked up where a fat woman had answered it "Stacy Campbell?" Rydel asked.

Stacy looked at Rydel, puzzled "Who wants to know?" She asked.

"My name is Rydel, I represent Adipose Industries," Rydel quickly flashed Stacy a card, fast enough so she couldn't see it "and you're on the list of our valued customers."

Ross, knocking on another door that was on the next street from the one Rydel was on, a man answered the door. Ross looked at him "Mr Roger Davey, I'm calling on behalf of Adipose Industries," He said, flashing the psychic paper "just need to ask a few questions."

"It's been fantastic," Stacy said, as she was getting ready around the living room and telling Rydel all about the pill as she was sat down on the couch obviously having no choice but to listen to her "I've started the pills on Thursday. Five days later, I've lost eleven pounds!"

Rydel looked up at Stacy with a kind of disbelieving look "And no side effects?" She asked.

"No, I feel fantastic."

"I've been on the pills two weeks now," Roger explained to Ross in his living room "I've lost fourteen kilos."

"That's the same amount every day?" Ross asked.

"One kilo exactly. You wake up, and it's disappeared overnight. Well, technically speaking, it's gone by ten past one in the morning."

Ross looked up at Roger, after looking around the living room with his eyes "What makes you say that?" Ross asked.

"That's when I get waken up. Might as well weigh myself at the same time." Roger said, causing Ross to look at him with suspicion.

Rydel watched as Stacy continued to get ready "You going on a date?" Rydel asked.

"I'm doing the opposite. I'm dumping him. I can do better than him now," Stacy made her way to the door, going to go upstairs to the bathroom "right, I won't be long. If the taxi beeps, give me a shout."

"It is driving me mad," Roger continued to explain to Ross "ten minutes past one, every night, bang on the dot without fail, the burglar alarm goes off. I've had experts in, I've had it replaced, and I've even phoned Watchdog. But no, ten past one in the morning, off it goes."

"But with no burglars?" Ross asked, Roger shook his head "tell me Roger, have you got a cat flap?" He asked.

Seconds later, the pair of them kneeled down by the cat flap "It was there when I bought the house," Roger said as they looked at it "never bothered with it. I'm not a cat person."

"No, I've met cat people. You are nothing like them." Ross said, totally referring to the ACTUAL people who were cats in New, New York that he met with Ratliff, Laura and Rocky at separate times.

Apparently, Ross just obviously let it go over his head about someone being a "cat person". Roger looked at Ross, puzzled but like it explained everything "Is that what it is then?" Roger asked "cats getting inside the house?"

"Well, the thing about cat flaps is that they don't just let things in, they let things out as well." Ross said.

"Like what?" Roger asked.

"The fat just walks away."

"Won't be long!" Stacy shouted from up in the bathroom.

"That's alright!" Rydel called back up. She took out the Adipose pendant and started playing with it, twisting it accidentally. When she did that, Stacy's belly started moving and giving out strange noises.

Ross walked out of Roger's house, turning round to him "Well, thanks for your help. Tell you what, maybe you could lay off the pills for a week or so," that's when something beeped in Ross's pocket "ooh, gotta go, sorry!" He then ran away, following the signal.

Stacy's belly continued to move around and give out strange noises when an Adipose broke off from her stomach, just a small big clump of fat with arms and legs with black eyes and one tooth. Called an Adipose it was. In a way, the Adipose creature was cute but right now, it was very strange and scary for Stacy.

Rydel stood at the bottom of the stairs, looking up towards the bathroom "You alright up there?" Rydel asked.

"Yeah!" Stacy called down. She looked into the mirror and down to her stomach where a second Adipose creature broke off her stomach and jumped off next to the first Adipose into the sink, the both of them waved at Stacy, they were completely harmless "What? What are you? What _are_ you?" Stacy asked in confusion, even though they couldn't talk. All they seemed to do was make baby like noises.

Bumps started to appear and disappear all across her body, making more strange noises. Rydel looked around starting to walk upstairs "Stacy? Are you alright?" Rydel asked as she got closer to the top "I wouldn't mind a little visit myself. Everything alright in there?" She asked, knocking on the bathroom door "only me. Do you mind if I use the toilet? Stacy?"

"Help me! Oh my god, help me!" Stacy begged as the bumps started to appear and disappear more rapidly.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Rydel asked, trying to get inside but the door was locked "Stacy!" Rydel raised her voice, knocking on the door.

Stacy let out a big scream before fall apart into about twenty little Adipose men. Rydel finally managed to break into the room, seeing Stacy was gone – only with her clothes lying on the floor. She looked over to the window where the last Adipose was stood, waving to Rydel before it jumped out of the window.

Ross ran along a street holding up the device in front of him that had dinged in his pocket. He stopped, looked at the device, blew on it, and then held it out in front of him and ran off again. Rydel, on another street, also ran along one while Ross stopped on the street he was on, stopping and waving the device around to try look for the signal. It dinged again and he ran on.

A black van with purple flashing sirens passed Rydel on the street she was on, turning around a corner where it the past Ross who ran out into the street. The van honked as it passed him, the device dinged again as the van drove away. Ross looked at the van and then the device before starting to run after the van, but it turned around another corner and disappeared.

Rydel stood in the middle of a street as a taxi pulled up beside her "Stacy Campbell?" The taxi driver asked.

Rydel shook her head "No, she's gone."

"Gone? Gone where?"

"She's just gone."

"Aw great, thanks for nothing." The Taxi driver said, unamused before driving off down the road.

Ross held up the device looking disappointed as the taxi drove past him. As Ross stood on one street, Rydel stood on the other in near enough the same spot, looking around like there was something they should both know. Instead of just standing there and waiting for something to happen, the pair of them just walked away in different directions.

Rydel walked up to the front door of her house, opening it up and walking through where the sound of her mother's voice came from another room, making Rydel sigh and roll her eyes "And what time is this?" Sylvia asked.

"How old am I?" Rydel asked rhetorically. Seriously, the age she is now her Mom shouldn't be asking her where she goes and what time she has to be in it. She's not a child anymore.

A small while later, Rydel found herself sat at the kitchen table having something to drink while Sylvia, her Mom, bustled around the kitchen giving her some sort of lecture that was completely going over Rydel's head as she was lost in thoughts "I thought you were only moving back for a couple of weeks. Look at you, I mean you're never gonna find a flat, not while you're on the dole. And it's no good sitting there, dressed up, looking like you're job hunting…" Sylvia went on. You got the point about what she was nagging Rydel about though, right?

Rydel just rolled her eyes at her Mom's nagging "Where's Granddad?" Rydel asked.

Sylvia rolled her eyes as it was pretty obvious Rydel wasn't letting any of it sink in "Where do you think your Granddad is? Up the hill, he's always up the hill," The Sylvia said, she turned around back to the sink and then back to Rydel "and this time he's got company. _Rocky_ came by."

Rydel smiled a little at the sound of Rocky's name, it'd been a _very_ long while since she'd seen him. Months in fact.

Around five minutes later, Rydel found herself walking up a big hill into a kind of junk yard where she saw two seats, one of them was where Rocky was sat. She tip toed behind Rocky and put her hands over his eyes "Guess who." Rydel said.

"Hmm," Rocky said "I don't know. Britney Spears?"

Rydel slapped Rocky around the head before giving him a hug "Where have you been!" She said, pulling away from the hug and kneeling down next to him giving him a happy/excited smile "you've been… gone! I mean, last year you and your friend Laura went missing for a couple of days, you came back and then Laura left to go do some job and then you all of a sudden went missing. Dude, where have you been?"

Rocky shrugged "If I told you about the four day thing… I think you'd rip my head off," he laughed "but as for the other thing… I just wanted to start something new. But, I got bored and came back."

Just then, her Granddad then came walking out of a tin shed "Aye, aye, here comes trouble. Ha," Her Granddad, Wilf, said walking over to Rydel and Rocky "was she nagging you?" He asked.

Rydel laughed "Big time," she then looked up to the sky as Wilf sat down on his camp chair in front of a telescope "you two seen anything then?" She asked.

"Yeah, I've got Venus, there with an apparent magnitude of 3.5," Wilf said, looking through the telescope "at least that's what is says in my little book," as he said this Rydel pulled out a blanket and sat down on it "here, come and see," Wilf said, budging over slightly so Rydel could look through it and so she did "right? That's the only planet in the Solar System named after a woman."

"Good for her. How far away is that?" Rydel asked.

"Oh, it's about 26 million miles away. But we'll get there one day. In a hundred years' time we'll be striding out amongst them stars. Jiggling about with all those aliens. Just you wait."

Rydel looked at her Granddad with a small smile "You really believe in all that stuff don't you?" Rydel asked.

"It's all over the place these days. If I wait here long enough…"

Rydel sighed as she looked over to the night sky that was full of stars "Don't suppose either of you have seen a blue box?" She asked.

Rocky's eyes darted at Rydel "A blue what?" Rocky asked, almost forgetting that Rydel had met Ross.

Wilf looked at Rydel mystified "Is that slang for something?" he asked.

"No, I mean it," Rydel said, looking at her Granddad, then looking back up at the sky "if you ever see a little blue box flying up there in the sky, you shout for me, Gramps. Oh, you just shout."

"You know, I don't understand half the things you say these days," Wilf said with a small laugh "you've had a funny old time of it lately. There was poor old – what's his name – Lance, bless him… and that barmy old Christmas. I wish you would tell us what really happened."

Rydel nodded with a small frown, sighing "I know. It's just… the things I've seen. Sometimes I think I'm going mad. I mean even tonight I was in a…" Rydel paused, shaking her head "doesn't matter."

"Well you're not yourself, I'll give you that." Rocky said, trying to jump on board the fact she wasn't being herself when he knew exactly what was going on. He just didn't want to tell Rydel about how he'd gone with Ross around in the TARDIS with Laura, because no doubt she'd go off on one.

"Yeah," Wilf agreed "you seem to be drifting, sweetheart."

"I'm not drifting," Rydel looked back at her Granddad, flashing him a small excited smile "I'm waiting."

"What for?"

"The right man."

Wilf then smiled, letting out a laugh "Oh, ho, ho, same old story! A man! Ha-ha."

"Ha, ha, no," Rydel said, sarcastically and seriously "I don't mean like that. But, he's real. I've seen him just once. And then…" Rydel sighed "I let him fly away."

"Well there you are," Rocky said, giving Rydel a small nudge in the arm "go and find him!"

"I've tried," Rydel said, returning her gaze back up to the stars "he's nowhere."

Now Wilf gave Rydel a nudge in the side of her other arm "Oi, not like you to give up. You know, remember when you were about six years old, your mother said no holiday this year. So off you toddled, all on your own and you on a bus to Strathclyde! Hah! We had the police after you and everything! Ha, where's she gone then? Where's that girl, hey?"

"You're right," Rydel smiled again "because he's still out there. Somewhere. And I'll find him Gramps, even if I have to wait a hundred years. I'll find him."

Ross stood inside the TARDIS looking at the golden Adipose Industries capsule magnifying glass "Ohh, fascinating. Seems to be a bio-flip digital stich, specifically for…" Ross looked up, expecting to see somebody there. But then remembering.

Nobody was there.

He then stood up straight from the TARDIS, looking lonely.

The next day, Rydel walked out to a blue car outside her house and her Mom came out of the door in a dressing gown and curlers watching Rydel as she went over to the car "It's my turn for the car. What do you need it for?" Sylvia asked.

Rydel got into the car and turned it on "A quick getaway."

Ross ran round the TARDIS, pulling and pushing buttons as he done so. Rydel on the other hand, found a nice place in an alleyway and parked it up, getting out and locking it before exiting the alleyway to get to the Adipose Industries. The TARDIS materialised in the _same_ alleyway, just a few metres behind the car.

At the front of Adipose Industries, Rydel went in through a revolving door whilst Ross once again went through the back door. Rydel walked through the call centre, waving at Craig as she done so.

Ross walked along a deserted hallway in the building, finding a storage closet where he got inside and soniced the door shut. Rydel did the same thing, except she went into a washroom and went into a stall, locking the door and looking down at her watch.

The day went by slowly, seen as though Ross and Rydel never really had anything to occupy themselves with until 6:00 at night. When it did come, it was about 6:10 p.m. before Ross finally came out of the cupboard door and walked out. Rydel stood up in her stall stretching, she opened the door and walked out where her phone started ringing. She ran back into the stall and answered it "Not now!" Rydel whispered.

"I need the car! Where are you?" Sylvia asked.

"I can't I'm busy."

"Why are you whispering?"

"I'm in church." Rydel lied.

"What are you doing in church?" Sylvia asked, becoming suspicious.

Rydel just shrugged "Praying!"

"Bit late for that madam."

Wilf looked over at Sylvia as he was getting ready to go out on the hill by himself "What's she doing in church?" He asked.

"Hush you, go up the hill," Sylvia then returned back onto the phone to Rydel "but I need the car. I'm going out with Suzette. She asked all the Wednesday girls, apparently she's been on those Adipose pills. She says she looks marvellous."

Before Rydel could get another word in, Miss Foster came into the room with her bodyguards and Rydel hung up, scared. "We know you're in here," Miss Foster said "so why don't you make this nice and easy and show yourself?" Miss Foster asked, Rydel pulled up her legs so they couldn't be seen dangling from the bottom "I'm waiting. I warn you, I'm not a patient woman. Now, out you come," she paused for a few moments before speaking "right. We'll do it the hard way. Get her!"

The bodyguards then started kicking open all the stalls to the toilets, Rydel had to keep her hands over her mouth to stop herself from screaming and shrieking. But before they even got to Rydel, they found Penny "There you are." Miss Foster said.

"I've been through the records, Miss Foster," Penny said "and all your results have been faked. There's something about the pills you're not telling us."

"Oh, I think I'll be conducting this interview, Penny."

Miss Foster left with the two bodyguards dragging Penny out. Rydel slowly got out of the toilet stall and followed them.

Ross was on the roof, he ran over to a window cleaners where he switched it to descend down to the floor he needed it too. "You've got not right to do this!" Penny yelled "let me go!"

They all arrived at Miss Foster's office, pulling Penny into the room. Ross stood in the cradle outside of the window of the office they were all in, he listened closely through the window to listen in on their conversation. Penny was then pushed down into a chair and tied to it by a bodyguard "You can't tie me up. What sort of country do you think it is?" Miss Foster asked.

"Oh, it's a beautifully fat country," Miss Foster smiled "and believe me, I've travelled a long way to find obesity on this scale."

"So come on then, Miss Foster, those pills. What are they?" Penny asked.

Rydel snuck up to the door of Miss Foster's door.

"Well, you might as well have a scoop, since you'll never see it printed," She then lifted up a capsule "this is the spark of life. Officially, the capsule attracts all the fat cells and flushes them away. Well, it certainly attracts them, that part's true. But it binds the fat together and galvanises it to form a body. I chose my name well, Foster, as in foster mother. And these," Miss Foster then lifted up an Adipose onto the table "are my children."

"You're kidding me. What the hell is that?" Penny asked.

Then, Rydel risen up to look through the window in the door and Ross done the same, but looking through the outside of the window into the room.

They didn't even see each other when they were opposite one another.

Talk about being blind.

"Adipose," Miss Foster said "it's called an Adipose. Made out of living fat. Stripped from an ordinary human…"

Rydel sighed, rolling her eyes where she looked over to the window opposite her where she saw… Ross. Ross also looked through the window where he saw Rydel through the window on the door, both of them became stunned.

_"Rydel?" _Ross asked, mouthing/miming through the window.

Rydel's mouth fell open, but more in amazement and happiness _"ROSS!"_

_"But… what? Wha… What?!"_

_"OH. MY. GOD."_

Ross shook his head in complete confusion _"But… how?"_

_"It's me!" _Rydel pointed to herself, completely forgetting about Miss Foster being in the room with the bodyguards and Penny.

_"Well, I can see that." _Ross mouthed, doing little actions to go along with it.

_"Oh, this is brilliant." _Rydel stuck her thumbs up as she mouthed this.

_"But what are you doing here?!"_

_"I was looking for you!"_

_"What for?!" _Ross became stunned, and kind of shocked that Rydel was looking for him. Normally when people look for Ross they never find him.

_"I, came here," _Rydel then started doing actions with her hands to everything she mouthed over to Ross _"trouble, read about it, internet, I thought, trouble = you! And this place is weird! So I hid. Back there. Crept along. Heard this lot. Looked. You! Cause they…_

Rydel gestured as she said this, but stopped when she looked towards Miss Foster who was looking from Rydel to Ross. Just like Penny and the guards, Rydel just froze.

"Are interrupting you?" Miss Foster asked loud enough for them both to hear.

Ross looked back over to Rydel _"RUN!"_

* * *

**Personally, I love the end bit with the Doctor & Donna in this episode! it's just so freaking hilarious! cx I don't know if you guys had the same reaction to it though. Haha cx**

**Anyway, the beginning of Rydel's ARC! I'm so freaking excited! I can barely contain myself cx Your gonna love what's going to happen in the upcoming chapters cx**

**5 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**


	34. Partners In Crime: A Familiar Face

_Computer Voice_

* * *

**_Partners In Crime: A Familiar Face_**

Rydel ran up the stairs of the building as fast as she could away from where she was being chased, even though she saw Ross sonic the door shut. So there would probably be no way of them getting out any time soon. Meanwhile, Ross entered the building from the roof and ran down the stairs Rydel was coming up to meet each other half way. Ross ran down the last set of stairs and Rydel ran up the last set of stairs before Ross and Rydel came face to face with each other. They smiled brightly at each other and gave one another a big hug "Oh my god! I don't believe it!" Rydel said happily, she looked him up and down "you've even got the same clothes!" she paused "don't you ever change?" Rydel said aghast.

"Yeah thanks, Rydel, not right now," Ross looked down the stairs the way Rydel came, seeing Miss Foster's guards coming up the stairs. He looked at Rydel and smiled "Just like old times!" He grabbed her hand and they started running up the stairs where they came out at the roof.

As they walked across the roof, over to the cleaning cradle Ross was on a few minutes ago, Rydel started babbling excitedly to Ross as they made their way over "Because I thought, how do I find Ross? And then I just thought, look for trouble and then he'll turn up! So I looked everywhere, you name it – UFOs, sightings, crop circles, and sea monsters. I looked, I found them all. Like that stuff about the _bees disappearing_, I thought, I bet he's connected. Because the thing is, Ross, I believe it all now. All those amazing things out there, I believe them all. Well, apart from that replica of the Titanic flying over Buckingham Palace on Christmas Day, I mean that's gotta be a hoax!"

During Rydel blabbing on excitedly, Ross was busy working on the cradle controls with the sonic "What do you mean, 'the bees are disappearing'?" Ross asked confused. Bees disappearing. That's not right.

Not right at all.

"I don't know," Rydel shrugged "that's what it says on the internet," Rydel told him as Ross climbed into the cradle "well on the same site, there was all the conspiracy theories about Adipose Industries, I thought let's take a look!"

Once Ross was in the cradle, he looked at Rydel "In you get." He said.

"What? In that thing?"

"Yes in that thing!"

Rydel looked at the door and then at the cradle "But if we go down in that, they'll just call us back up again!"

"No, no, no," Ross said "because I've locked the controls with a sonic cage. I'm the only one who can control it. Not unless she's got a sonic device of her own. Which is _very_ unlikely."

Miss Foster approached the door to the roof, seeing it was closed and that the guards weren't able to get through it, she lifted up her arm where she pointed her sonic pen at the door, letting them open.

Ross and Rydel went down in the cradle besides the building, both of them looked up as Miss Foster stood there looking down at them. They smiled in relief as they knew she wouldn't be able to get them back up, but to their dismay… she used her sonic pen and the cradle started going up towards the roof. In panic mode, Ross lifted up his hand and used his sonic on the cradle and stopped the cradle where it was, making him and Rydel fall to the floor of the cradle.

Both of them got up, seeing they were at a window Ross tried to open it with the sonic "Hold on. Hold on, we can get in through the window." He said. He stood there for a small while, using the sonic all the way around the window and it wouldn't open up for them "Can't get it open!"

Rydel looked around, she looked to the floor where she saw a large spanner and picked it up "Well smash it then!" Rydel exclaimed.

Rydel started hitting the window with the spanner whilst Ross still tried with the sonic, while this was going on Miss Foster smiled down at them and pointed her sonic to the cable on the cradle, where it started to sparkle and smoke. Rydel looked up, her eyes widened "She's cutting the cable!"

They started to work faster as the cable continued to spark, but it was too late for them as the cable snapped. Ross managed to hold onto the inside of the cable, but as for Rydel she fell straight out of it "RYDEL!" Ross shouted from the top of his lungs, swinging his arm round to catch as she fell, just missing her.

"Ross!" Rydel screamed as she managed to grab hold of the broken cable. She clinged onto it as hard and strong as she could, dangling in mid-air.

"Hold on!"

"I AM!"

Ross pulled onto the cable she was holding onto to try pull her up that way, but he didn't have enough strength to do it. Miss Foster looked down at them "And now for the other." She said, pointing her sonic at the second cable on Ross's side. Ross pointed his at her hand, making her sonic sparkle where she dropped it.

Ross leaned backwards as the sonic pen came falling down towards him, he caught it in his hand before starting to climb up the cable that wasn't broken towards another window, where he managed to open it. "I'm going to fall!" Rydel shouted up to him, trying her best not to look down on the busy street, she just looked at Ross in disbelief as he made his way into the window "This is all your fault! I shouldn't stayed at home!"

"Won't be a minute!" Ross jumped through the window and back into the building, running out of the room he managed to get into and down the stairs into Miss Foster's office and opened the window where he saw Rydel's legs dangling. Also, where Penny was still tied up to the chair "Is anyone gonna tell me what's going on?" Penny asked.

"What, you're a journalist?" Ross asked.

"Yeah."

"Well, make it up!"

Ross opened the window wide where he tried to grab onto Rydel's legs, but she kept on kicking them about "Get off!" Rydel shouted. Remembering the last time Ross promised he'd catch her back with the giant red spider. Did he catch her? No. what happened? She ended up smacking onto the floor beneath him instead.

"I've got you! Stop kicking!" Ross said as he jumped every time Rydel's foot nearly came into contact with his face.

Rydel let out a little cry as Ross got hold of her legs at last, finally Ross managed to grab hold of Rydel properly and pull her through the window. When Rydel was through the window and on her feet again, she took a deep breath and looked at Ross "I was right," Rydel said "it's always like this with you, innit?"

"OH YES!" Ross said with a huge grin "off we go!"

They both grinned at each other and ran out of the room, leaving Penny behind and not realising it. The pair of them ran through the call centre from earlier, managing to meet Miss Foster and her guards in the middle of the room. "Well then," Miss Foster said taking off her glasses "at last."

Rydel waved at her, not really knowing what to say. "Nice to meet you, I'm Ross." Ross said.

"And I'm Rydel."

"Partners in crime," Miss Foster said, looking them both up and down with her arms folded "and evidently off-worlders, judging by your sonic technology."

"Oh yes, I've still got your sonic pen," Ross said, spinning it around in his hand "nice, I like it. Sleek, it's kind of sleek," he showed Rydel it, she nodded. He looked back at Miss Foster "Yeah, and if you were to sign your real name that would be…?"

"Matron Cofelia of the Five-Straighten Classabindi Nursery Fleet. Intergalactic Class," she introduced herself, properly this time "I've been employed by the Adiposian First Family to foster a new generation after their breeding _planet_ was _lost_."

Ross looked at Miss Foster confused "Lost? What do you mean lost? How do you lose a planet?" he asked.

"Oh, politics are none of my concern. I'm just here to take care of the children on behalf of the parents."

"What, like an outer space super-nanny?" Rydel asked, sarcastically.

"Yes, if you like."

"So… so those little things they're, they're made out of fat yeah, but that woman, Stacy Campbell, there was nothing left of her."

"Oh, in a crisis the Adipose can convert bone and hair and internal organs. Makes them a little bit sick, poor things."

Rydel shook her head slightly, looking at her in complete disbelief "What about poor Stacy?" She asked.

Ross then came in between Rydel and Miss Foster's little conversation they were having "This is your one chance; because if you don't call this off, then I'll have to stop you." Ross warned her.

Miss Foster looked at Ross with a smug look, like nothing could touch her "I hardly think you can stop bullets." She said as the guards took aim.

"No," Ross said, putting out both his hands "hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, one more thing, before… dying," he lowered his hands "do you know what happens if you hold two identical sonic devices against each other?" Ross asked.

"No." Miss Foster spoke after a short pause.

"Nor me," Ross said with a smile "let's find out!"

Ross pointed his and Miss Foster's sonic screwdriver and pen at each other, which created an awful screeching sound that went through the room. Miss Foster and the guards squirmed in agony as a glass pane shattered, deciding enough was enough, Rydel shoved Ross, making him stop "Come on!" She turned around and began to run with Ross following her behind.

They ran through the building until Ross led them both to a deserted metal hallway, which looked awfully familiar to the one they ran through on Christmas Day when they first met. When they arrived at a storage cupboard, Ross opened it up and started throwing out all of the supplies. Rydel watched him, leaning against the wall "That's one solution," She said "hide in a cupboard. I like it."

Once everything was out of the cupboard, Ross opened up another door that was inside of the storage room, only to reveal a big green machine built into the wall "Hacking into this thing, cause the matron's got a computer core running through the centre of the building," he said, beginning to try hack into it "triple deadlocked. And I've got this," he said, holding up the sonic pen "I can get into it. She's wired up the whole building. We need a bit of privacy." He held together two sparkling plugs, where lightening came out of the walls and stunned the two guards who were on their way down.

Ross and Rydel would have to say that was a bonus if they both knew they were coming down.

"Just enough to stop them," he said "why's she wired up the tower block though? What's it all for?" Ross started to fiddle with the cables.

_"Inductor online."_

Rydel gazed on at Ross as he continued to work, not in a lovey way – hell no. Almost in wonder "You look older." She said.

"Thanks."

"Still on your own?" Rydel asked.

"Yup," Ross said, then he shook his head "well, no, I had these two friends. Laura and Rocky. Laura Marano and Rocky Lynch. They were brilliant… and I destroyed half of their lives. But they're fine. They're good. They're gone."

Even though Rydel kind of had a clue Rocky had gone off with Ross because of some of the things he would talk about and the way he looked, she did feel like yelling at him but she decided not to.

"What about Ratliff?" Rydel asked.

"Still lost…" Ross said as a little bit of sadness came to his face. He shook his head after a long pause, getting away from them type of thoughts "I thought you were going to travel the world?"

"Easier said than done," Rydel laughed a little "It's like I had that one day with you and I was gonna change. I was gonna do so much. Then I woke up next morning, same old life. It's like you were never there. And I tried. I did try, I went to Egypt. I was gonna go barefoot and everything. And then it's all bus trips and guidebooks and don't drink the water and two weeks later you're back home. It's nothing like being with you. I must have been mad turning down that offer."

"What offer?"

"To come with you." Rydel reminded him.

Ross looked at Rydel with a small smile "You'd come with me?" he asked.

"Oh, yes please!" Rydel said with a smile, almost begging.

_"Inducer activated."_

Rydel looked at the machine as it started doing something "What's it doing now?" She asked.

"She's started the programme."

**Couple minutes later**

"So far they're just losing weight," Ross went onto explain, still in the cupboard with Rydel "but the Matron has gone up to emergency pathogenesis."

"That's when they convert?" Rydel asked, referring to the little fat blobs that Stacy disappeared into. Even though the Adipose were little cuties, they did have to be stopped.

"Skeletons, organs, everything. A million people are gonna die! I've gotta cancel the signal!" Ross pulled out the golden capsule on the chain and took off one of the ends to reveal a chip "this contains the primary signal. If I can switch it off the fat goes back to being just fat." He then hooked the capsule to the machine.

_"Inducer increasing."_

"No, no, no, no, no!" Ross started to yell, becoming tense "she's doubled it! I need… haven't got time! It's too far, I can't override it! They're all gonna die!" He said, referring to the people who were out on the streets probably collapsing into fat or beginning too.

"Is there anything I can do?" Rydel asked.

Ross shook his head, becoming near to panic "Sorry, Rydel. This is way beyond you! Gotta double the base pulse, I can't…"

"Ross, tell me what you need." Rydel said, speaking sternly.

"I need a second capsule to boost the override, but I've only got the one. I can't save them!" He panicked, fiddling with the switches.

Rydel looked at Ross as if he was completely stupid and knew that was what he needed in the first place. She put her hand into her coat pocket where she pulled out a second golden capsule she had got yesterday, holding it up for Ross to see. Ross turned his head as he saw something shining out the corner of his eye, he looked at Rydel in shock as she held it up before they both burst out into laughter. He took it from Rydel and plugged it in and the green lights went off.

All of a sudden, a loud horn sounded. "What the hell was that?" Rydel asked, she then looked at Ross, knowing it probably had something to do with the Adipose nursery Miss Foster talked about "when you nursery you don't mean a crèche in Notting Hill."

"Nursery ship."

The computer unit lit up _"Incoming signal." _That's when an alien language started coming through the computer.

"Hadn't we better go up and stop them?" Rydel asked.

"Hang on," Ross said, shutting her up as he held up a hand "instructions from the Adiposian First family," he looked at the computer, trying to figure it out. When, of course, it came to him seconds later as he could hear the big spaceship flying up outside the building "she's wired up the tower block to convert it into a levitation post," Ross continued on listening in on the instructions "oh. Ooh. We're not the ones in trouble now. _She_ is!"

With that, Ross ran out of the storage cupboard, followed by Rydel where they ran as fast as they could up the roof. Minutes later, they reached the roof and watched as the Adipose babies were flying towards the nursery ship that was up above them, no doubt causing panic from down below as they could hear screams "What you gonna do then? Blow them up?" Rydel asked.

Ross looked at Rydel as if she was mad "They're just children. They can't help where they come from."

"Oh, that makes a change from last time. Rocky and Laura must have done you good."

"Ah, they did yeah," Ross nodded "Laura fancied me."

"Looney Laura, that one," Rydel smiled "blind Laura. Charity Laura," she looked back as the Adipose babies went levitating up into the space ship, which was when one waved down at Rydel and Ross, both of them waved back "I'm waving at _fat_." Rydel said, coming to realisation.

"Actually, as a diet plan, it sort of works. There she is!" Ross said, running to the edge of the building with Rydel as they saw Miss Foster soaring in the air, the same height as they are going up to the spaceship "Listen to me!"

"OH, I don't think so, Ross," Miss Foster said "and if I never see you again, it'll be too soon."

"Oh, why does no one ever listen?" Ross mumbled to himself "I'm trying to help! Just get across the roof. Can you shift the levitation beam? I saw the Adiposian instructions – they know it's a crime, breeding on Earth. So what's the one thing they wanna get rid of? Their accomplice!"

"I'm far more than that. I'm nanny to all these children."

In the meantime, all the Adipose babies had reached the ship which just left Miss Foster floating in the beam herself. "Exactly! Mom and Dad have got the kids now, they don't need nanny anymore!" Ross said.

Suddenly, the blue light that was holding Miss Foster up in the air vanished. Becoming bewildered, Miss Foster looked down and fell rapidly to the floor with a scream. Not being able to watch, Rydel hid her face in Ross's shoulder until she heard the thud of her body hit the floor. They both looked up to the Adipose ship where they saw the same baby Adipose waving 'bye' through the window at them where then the ship disappeared.

First time an alien's ship has been on Earth, and hasn't caused any trouble.

Now that's got to be a first.

Down on the street – a small while later – there was sirens, ambulance and police tapes all around. Ross, who was lost in thoughts, threw the sonic pen into the bin next to him and Rydel. "OI!" Ross and Rydel turned at the sound of the voice, where they saw Penny, who had crept out of the building still tied to her chair "you're just mad. Do you hear me? Mad! And I'm gonna report you for… madness!" She then crept away on her chair.

"You see, some people just can't take it… and some people can," Rydel smiled. She then looked at Ross "so, then – TARDIS! Come on!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him away.

They walked into the alleyway where the TARDIS was and also where Rydel had left her car, her mouth almost fell open in shock "That's my car! That is like destiny! And I've been ready for this," she opened up the boot of her car where it held just a couple of suitcases "I packed ages ago, just in case. Cause I thought, hot weather, cold weather, no weather…" she started to load her luggage to the arms of a stunned Ross "…. He goes anyway, I've gotta be prepared! I'm ready!"

She went over to the TARDIS, babbling away in the door completely oblivious of Ross's mood. "Do I need injections though, do I?" Rydel asked "like when you go to Cambodia, is there any of that? Cause my friend Veena went to Bahrain, and…" Rydel then suddenly noticed that Ross didn't look happy "you're not saying much."

Ross shook his head "No, it's just… it's a funny old life, in the TARDIS."

"You don't want me." Rydel said quietly and very sad.

Ross shook his head once again "I'm not saying that."

"But you asked me," Rydel said, Ross just stared on at her "would you rather be on your own?"

"No. actually, no. but…" Ross dropped the suitcase he had in his arms onto the floor "the last time, with Rocky and Laura, like I said… it got complicated because of Laura. And that was all my fault. I just want a mate."

Rydel became shocked and disgusted "You just want to _mate_?!"

"I just want _a_ mate!"

"You're not mating with me sunshine!"

"_A_ mate, I want _a_ mate!"

Rydel sighed with relief "Well just as well, because I'm not having any of that nonsense. I mean you're just a long streak of… nothing. You know, alien nothing."

Ross nodded, also becoming relieved "There we are then. Okay."

"I can come?" Rydel asked, a smile creeping upon her face.

"Yeah course you can," Ross said as they both smiled at each other "I'd love it."

Rydel smiled brightly before running up to him and giving him a big hug, but she stopped when she remembered something about the previous conversation, but still being very happy "Car keys! I've still got my Mom's car keys! I won't be a minute!"

Rydel then ran away back onto the crowded street whilst Ross watched her before taking her things into the TARDIS.

Rydel found herself back onto the crowded street where they were police cars and was railed off from where Miss Foster had fell, obviously her body had been taken by now but it was still cordoned off with the police. She was on the phone, talking to her Mom who was freaking over what had just happened with the alien ship and the Adipose "I know, Mom, I saw it. Little fat people," she sighed "Listen, I've gotta go. I'm going to stay with Veena for a bit."

"It was in the sky!" Sylvia continued to freak out over the phone.

"Yeah, spaceship, got it," Rydel said quickly "I've still got the car keys," her eyes landed on a bin that was attached to a lamppost, she shrugged. Not like anyone was going to go looking for car keys in a bin right? "There's a bin on Brook Street, about thirty feet from the corner, I'm going to leave them in there." Rydel threw the keys into the bin before he Mom could say anything else.

"You can't do that!"

Rydel rolled her eyes "Oh, stop complaining. The car's just down the road a bit. Got to go, bye!" with that, Rydel hung up the phone and put it back into her pocket.

Then looking around for someone to tell about her Mom and the keys.

Someone she could trust.

She skimmed the crowd, looking for just anybody. Even if it was a simple old lady, but she had a lot of people to choose from as they were stood by the fence. There was a couple together, and a group of people together so she could have chosen any one of them.

But her eyes landed on someone else.

There was a guy, about her age, stood at the fence with brown hazel eyes looking over in Rydel's direction almost, and she didn't know why… but she was just drawn to him like he was a magnet and she was the piece of metal.

Maybe it was because he seemed sort of familiar to her?

Knowing Rydel's look she's probably seen him around before plenty of times and talked to him and just forgot about his existence.

"Listen," Rydel said as she ran up in front of him with a big smile "there's this woman that's gonna come along, a tall blonde woman called Sylvia, tell her that bin there," Rydel pointed over to the bin with a wide smile on her face "right, it'll all make sense. That bin there."

Rydel gave the guy one last smile before heading off down the street.

The guy who Rydel just spoke to, watched as Rydel ran off down the road and disappeared around the corner before turning back round, looking worn and depressed. Wondering if he should even stay here any longer. He was breaking enough rules as it was, and even though those rules had been majorly broken he still needed to go back to where he came from.

Even though he didn't want to go back to where he came from, he'd much rather stay here.

But, Ryan, Jenna and Matty needed Ratliff back there in the Parallel World. So it was only right he went back, wasn't it?

He then turned back round away from the fence and walked away, when he had took several steps away, he just simply vanished into thin air.

Like a ghost.

Rydel entered the TARDIS with a smile as she walked up to Ross "Off we go then."

"Here it is," Ross said "the TARDIS. It's bigger on the—"

"Oh, I know that bit," Rydel shut him up "although, frankly… you could turn the heat up."

Ross then walked over to the console "So, whole wide universe, where do you wanna go?" Ross asked.

"Oh I know exactly the place." Rydel smiled "two and a half miles that way." Rydel pointed.

Wilf, Rydel's Granddad, sat on the hill again looking through his telescope, this time he was by himself again. Rydel wasn't home yet and Rocky hadn't come by, which was a shame really. Suddenly he froze when he saw the TARDIS flying above his head "There!" Wilf pointed "Rydel! It's… It's the flying blue box!" he looked into the telescope again, where he saw his granddaughter waving from the open TARDIS doors "huh-what?! That's Rydel! Yeah, that's Rydel!"

Standing behind Rydel, Ross waved too. "And that's him! That's him! Ha-ha-ha! Go on girl! Go on, get up there! Hey!" Wilf shouted in happiness and excitement as he done a merry little dance as he watched the TARDIS zoom away.

And off Ross and Rydel went on their little adventure they were about to embark on.

And what an adventure it would be.

**Next Time: **The Fires Of Pompeii

**Then: **The Beginning Of The End

**Later: **Midnight

**After: **Turn Left

* * *

**Well, hope your all happy Rydel's back in it for good :) And finally, we have the character return that I've been DYING to write forever! I'm taking it your all happy Ratliff's back, huh? Cause this only means one thing.**

**ROSSLINGTON REUNION. **

**Bet you all can't wait for that! I can't wait to write it either cx asdjfnbhgjkclr,mnbdfghjkcd,**

**5 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**


	35. The Fires Of Pompeii: Lucius

_**The Fires Of Pompeii**_

Ross stepped out of the TARDIS and pushed aside a rough curtain with a broad smile on his face, Rydel stepped out and stood beside him where they over looked – to what looked like – a Roman type sort of city. Given that how people were dressed and all the stalls that were set up. Which meant Rydel was going to struggle with understanding their language, given that Roman's speak a complete different language to English. This should be fun.

"Ancient Rome," Ross said, stepping out into the street, with Rydel, where all the market stalls were set up "Well, not to them, obviously. To all intents and purposes right now… this is brand new Rome."

Rydel looked around, becoming filled with so much enthusiasm "Oh my god, it's… it's so Roman," Rydel turned around and faced Ross, with a huge bright happy smile on her face "oh, this is fantastic!" She jumped into Ross's arms and hugged him. After a short while she pulled away and them both began to walk along the streets "I'm here… in Rome. Rydel Lynch in Rome. This is just weird. I mean, everyone here's dead."

"Don't go telling them that."

Rydel let out a small laugh, before she noticed something over Ross's shoulder. There was a sign with plain English writing on it, rather than the Roman language. She looked at Ross with a blank facial expression "Hold on a minute. That sign over there's in English. Are you having me on? Are we in Epcot?"

Ross shook his head "No, no, no, no. that's the TARDIS translation circuits. Just makes it look English… speech as well. You're talking Latin right now."

"Seriously?" Rydel asked, sort of shocked; then she returned to smiling again and becoming enthusiastic "I just said 'seriously' in Latin."

"Oh yeah."

Rydel laughed "What if I said something in actual Latin?" Rydel asked as they continued on walking "like 'veni, vidi, vici'? My Dad said that when he came back from football. If I said 'veni, vidi, vici' to that lot, what would it sound like?"

"I'm not sure—" Ross looked at Rydel, with somewhat puzzlement and wonderment "you have to think of difficult questions, don't you?"

Rydel shrugged "I'm gonna try it."

Rydel walked over to a Stallholder. "Hello sweat heart. What can I get for you, my love?" He asked.

"Veni, vidi, vici."

The Stallholder looked at Rydel as if she was from a foreign country or better yet, lost her mind "Huh? Sorry? Me no speak Celtic. No can do, missy."

Rydel smiled, with the look of insult in it "Yeah…" She turned around and walked back to Ross "what does he mean 'Celtic'?"

"Welsh. You sound Welsh," Ross looked head of him where he saw something "there we are. That's something."

Rydel and Ross kept on walking through the streets, unaware that a red-robed young woman was watching them from the distance. "Won't our clothes look a bit odd?" Rydel asked.

"No. Ancient Rome, anything goes. It's like Soho… but bigger."

"You've been here before then?" Rydel asked. Still unaware that the woman was following them both.

"Ages ago," Ross said "before you ask, that fire had nothing to do with me. Well, a little bit, but I hadn't gotten the chance to look around properly. Coliseum… Pantheon… Circus Maximus… You'd expect them to be looming by now. Where is everything?" Ross asked as they stopped walking and looked around "try this way." He said, leading Rydel in a different direction.

The continued to walk on, still with the woman following, where they came out to a wider street area and Rydel just looked about. Her eyes landed on a large hill in front of them, one that obviously Ross was paying no attention too "I'm not an expert, but there are Seven Hills of Rome, aren't there?" Rydel asked Ross, who looked at her "how come they've only got one?"

Rydel was right, there is Seven Hills in Rome. Ross shot his head to where Rydel was looking where his eyes landed on the same hill she was looking at, and once he did the ground suddenly began to shake violently. Both of them tried to keep their balance as the Stallholders and vendors did what they could to save their stalls and merchandise. Then it clicked to Rydel as the ground continued to shake "Wait a minute! One mountain… with smoke…" She said, as she could see some smoke slowly coming out of the top "which makes this…"

"Pompeii…" Ross said, with the look of fear on his face "we're in Pompeii… and it's Volcano Day!"

* * *

As soon as the ground had stopped shaking, Ross and Rydel race through the streets of Pompeii to get back to the TARDIS and get the hell out of there before it was too late and they were caught up in the whole disaster. But when they arrived back to where they started, the TARDIS was gone. "You're kidding…" Rydel said in disbelief "don't tell me the TARDIS is gone."

"Okay."

"Where is it then?" Rydel asked.

"You told me not to tell you."

Rydel rolled her eyes "Don't get clever in Latin."

Ross turned around, looking for some help when he saw the Stallholder from earlier who Rydel tried to talk to "Um… Excuse me! Excuse me!" Ross ran over to him and stopped him, followed by Rydel "there was a box—big, blue box. Big, blue, wooden box… just over there. Where is it gone?"

"Sold it, didn't I?" The Stallholder said smugly.

"But… it wasn't yours to sell."

"It was on my patch, wasn't it?" The Stallholder asked "I got 15 sesterce for it. Lovely jubbly." He said as he rubbed his hands together.

"Who'd you sell it too?" Ross asked.

"Old Caecilius. Look… if you want to argue, why don't you take it up with him? He's on Foss Street. Big villa can't miss it."

"Thanks."

He and Rydel then ran off down the street, but Ross came back to the Stallholder, slightly bemused "What did he buy a blue, wooden box for?" Ross asked.

* * *

Ross ran back through the streets back to Rydel, where he found her roaming aimlessly but with some sort of look on her face which kind of told him inside she was up to no good, but decided to ignore it as he feels that's how Rydel always looks "I've got it! Foss Street, this way!" Ross said going to run off.

Rydel grabbed Ross by the arm, stopping him from going "No, I've found this big sort of amphitheatre I think… We can start there," Rydel said "we can get everyone together. Then maybe they've got a great, big bell or something we could ring. Have they invented bells yet?" She asked.

Ross looked on at Rydel puzzled "What do you want a bell for?" He asked.

"To warn everyone!" Rydel said, raising her voice a little "to start the evacuation! What time does Vesuvius erupt? When's it due?"

Ross looked on at Rydel seriously, like she was stupid. And right now, Rydel was being pretty stupid "It's 79 AD, 23rd of August which makes Volcano Day, tomorrow."

"Plenty of time. We can get everyone out easy."

"Except we're not going to." Ross then took Rydel by the hand.

Rydel didn't budge from where she was so Ross couldn't take off with her "But that's what you do. You're Ross. You save people."

"But not this time," He said, releasing Rydel's hand "Pompeii is a fixed point in history. What happens, happens. There is no stopping it." Once again, Ross tried to get Rydel to move but she wouldn't.

"Says who?"

"Says me."

Rydel folded her arms "What, and you're in charge?"

"TARDIS, Time Lord… yeah."

"Rydel, human… no!" Rydel said, voice raised "I don't need your permission. I'll tell them myself."

"You stand in the marketplace and announce the end of the world, they'll just think you're a mad old soothsayer. Now, come on. TARDIS, we are getting out of here."

Instead of doing as Ross said, Rydel turned around and stormed off quickly "Well, I might just have something to say about that, spaceman!"

"Oh, I bet you will!" Ross snapped in the same way Rydel did, running up to her and grabbing her, flinging Rydel over his shoulder.

"OI!" Rydel shouted, punching his back as she hung over his back "put me down!"

"Nope."

"Positions!" Caecilius shouted as he and his family ran to their appointed places as the ground began to shake violently.

Ross had finally put Rydel down when they got to the front door, when they walked through into Caecilius' house, he saved the bust that was on the shelf from falling before Caecilius managed to get there "Whoa!" Ross slapped the cheeks on the bust "there you go."

"Thank you, kind sir," Caecilius said, taking the bust from him "I'm afraid business is closed for the day. I'm expecting a visitor."

"Oh, that's me." He then leaned forwards to shake Caecilius' hand.

"Who are you?"

"I am…" Ross paused, trying to come up with a name "Spartacus."

"And so am I." Rydel added, just in case this Caecilius person decided to ask her what her name was too.

"Mr and Mrs Spartacus?" Caecilius asked.

Ross's eyes widened "Oh no, we're not married."

"Oh, then brother and sister?" Caecilius asked "yes, of course," he smiled "you look very much alike."

Ross and Rydel looked at one another, looking each other up and down before back at Caecilius "Really?" They both asked, not believing it for one second that they looked anything alike.

You know, apart from them both having blonde hair.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not open for trade."

"And that trade would be?" Ross asked.

"Marble. Lucius Caecilius. Mining, polishing and design thereof. If you want marble, I'm your man."

"That's good. That's good, because I'm the marble inspector." Ross then held up the psychic paper in front of Caecilius.

Caecilius looked at the paper Ross had just flashed him when his wife, Metella, entered the room. He made sure she stood next to him as he introduced her to Ross and Rydel "This is my good wife, Metella. I—I must confess, we're not prepared for a—"

"—Nothing to worry about," Ross cut him off as he started subtly twisting and turning his head, looking for the TARDIS "I-I'm sure you've got nothing to hide," with a stroke of luck Ross's eyes landed on the TARDIS in the far corner of the room "although, frankly, that object… rather looks like wood to me." He said as himself and Rydel walked towards it.

"I only bought it today."

"Ah, well. Caveat emptor."

Caecilius smiled, as if it all made sense to him now "Oh, you're Celtic. That's lovely."

Ross nodded, looking at the TARDIS and back at Caecilius "I'm sure it's fine but I might have to take it off your hands for a proper inspection."

"Although," Rydel said, stepping forwards in front of Ross "while we're here, wouldn't you recommend a holiday, Spartacus?" Rydel asked, looking at Ross.

Ross stared at Rydel bemused, going to have to pretend he had no idea what she was talking about "I don't know what you mean, Spartacus."

Caecilius looked on at the two blondes in front of him, becoming confused "Why should we do that?" He asked.

Ross just rubbed his eyes as Rydel tried to explain to them. "Well, the volcano for starters." Rydel said.

"What?"

"Volcano."

"What-ano?"

Rydel looked at Caecilius puzzled, pointing outside the window over to Vesuvius "That great big volcano right on your doorstep."

"Oh, Spartacus, for shame, we haven't greeted the household gods yet," Ross then grabbed Rydel and pulled her over towards the shrine in the house where the household gods were, with some sort of harsh force "they don't know what it is. Vesuvius is just a mountain to them. The top hasn't blown off yet," he sprinkled the frieze with water "the Romans haven't even got a word for volcano. Not until tomorrow."

Rydel rolled her eyes "Oh great. They can learn a new word… when they die." She said sarcastically.

"Rydel, stop it."

"Listen, I don't know what sort of kids you've been flying around with in outer space, but you're not telling me to shut up. That boy," Rydel said, pointing to Caecilius' son, Quintus "how is he, sixteen? And tomorrow he burn's to death."

Ross looked at Rydel unbelievably "And that's my fault?" He asked.

"Right now, yes!" Rydel said, flicking water in Ross's face as she said 'yes'.

At that second a servant, Rhombus, entered the room "Announcing Lucius Petrus Dextrus, Chief Augur of the city government."

An older man stride into the room, a man who obviously knew what his position was by the way he walked and dressed. He wore a white cloak so it draped over his white side, having almost silver-like hair. "Lucius, my please is always." Caecilius said, giving a small bow.

Rydel and Ross left the shrine they were at, curious to see who the visitor was. Metella looked to her side to see Quintus sat down "Quintus, stand up." She said. Quintus then stood with a long suffering sigh.

"A rare and great honour, sir, for you to come to my house."

Caecilius held out his hand, only for Lucius to ignore it. "The birds are flying north… and the wind is in the west." Lucius said.

Caecilius became puzzled at Lucius's words, even though he's use to being puzzled by them "Right. Absolutely. That's good, is it?" He asked, being unsure.

"Only the grain of wheat knows where it will go."

Caecilius nodded with a small smile, looking over to where Ross and Rydel were "Pardon me, sir, I have guests. This is Spartacus, and, uh, Spartacus."

The pair of them then waved over to Lucius, who seemed to take a step closer to them both "A name is but a cloud upon a summer wind." He said.

Ross could see that Lucius was either trying to be clever with him, or he knew something Ross didn't "But the wind is felt most keenly in the dark." Ross replied.

"Ah! What is the dark other than on omen of the sun?"

"I concede that every sun must set… and yet the son of the father must also rise."

Damn," Lucius said, sort of amazed but definitely not showing it "very clever, sir. Evidently a man of learning."

Ross nodded with a small smile, his usual sort of smile "Oh yeah, but don't mind me. Don't want to disturb the status quo."

Caecilius leant over to Lucius and whispered in his ear "He's Celtic."

"We'll be off in a minute." Ross took Rydel by the hand and headed for the TARDIS, seen as though she obviously wasn't going to come of her own free will.

Rydel became subdued, stopping in her tracks and yet again pulling her arm from Ross "I'm not going."

"You've got to."

"But I'm not."

Ross looked back over his shoulder where he saw Caecilius holding up a piece of marble he had made for Lucius, his suspicion risen when he saw the pattern in it in which it looked familiar too him. Way too familiar, so Ross and Rydel both stopped what they were doing. When curiosity aroused, Ross re-joined Lucius and Caecilius "Oh no that's… different," Ross said, looking at it "who designed that?" He asked.

Caecilius looked at Ross "My lord Lucius was very specific."

Ross turned his eye sight to Lucius "Where'd you get the pattern?"

"On the rain and mist and wind." Lucius said.

Rydel took a look at the marble from where she was stood by the window of the house "That looks like a circuit."

"Made of stone." Ross added.

"Do you mean you just dreamt that up?"

"That is my job… as City Augur." Lucius said.

"What's that then?" Rydel asked "like, Maia."

Ross sighed, making it look painful for him. It was painful when Rydel tried to guess who people were, calling them by the names that weren't even invented yet "Oh, ah, you must excuse my friend. She's from… Barcelona," He said, standing beside Rydel "this is an age of superstition… of official superstition. The augur is paid by the city to _tell the future_. 'The wind will blow from the west'. That's the equivalent of the ten o'clock news."

Evelina, Metella and Caecilius' daughter, joined them all in the room looking pale and drawn, being barely able to stand "They're laughing at us," She said, referring to Ross and Rydel "those two, they use words like tricksters. They're mocking us." The reason she was like this, was because her Mom had been getting her to see the future like Lucius himself.

Ross shook his head, looking at Evelina with some concern "No, no, I meant no offense." He said.

"I'm sorry," Metella apologized, taking hold of Evelina before she did collapse "my daughter's been consuming the vapours."

Lucius looked over to where Evelina stood, almost like she was a rival to him "I gather I have a rival in this household. Another with the gift."

"Oh, she's promised to the Sybiline Sisterhood," Metella said, proudly "they say she has remarkable visions."

"The prophecies of women are limited and dull. Only the men folk have the capacity for true perception."

Rydel did a little shrug "I'll tell you where the wind's blowing now, mate." She said.

Just as Rydel had spoken, the ground started to shake again due to Vesuvius. "The mountain god marks your words," Lucius went on "I'd be careful if I were you."

Ross, trying to stay stable as they ground kept on shaking on and off, walked away from Rydel a little bit "Consuming vapours you say?" Ross asked.

"They give me strength." Evelina answered.

"It doesn't look like it to me." Ross said, looking her up and down.

"Is that your opinion as a doctor?" Evelina asked "or your own personal opinion… Ross?"

Ross's eyes widened slightly "I beg your pardon?" He asked with some form of shock. How did she know his name? They haven't even met. Yes, she can see the future as well as Lucius but surely they can't see that far into the future.

"Ross. That is your name."

"How did you know that?" Ross asked bewildered.

"And you," Evelina said, looking over at Rydel who was stood by the window "you call yourself Lynch," she looked back at Ross from where she stood "you both come from so far away."

"A female soothsayer is inclined to invent all sorts of vagaries." Lucius said.

Ross kept his eyes on Evelina as he talked to Lucius "Oh, not that this time, Lucius," he then let his gaze fall upon Lucius "I reckon you've been out-soothsaid."

"Is that so…" Lucius said, taking a small pause "man from Gallifrey."

"What?" Ross asked, again becoming more shocked and bewildered from before.

"And you, daughter of… London." Lucius looked over at Rydel.

Rydel let some fear slowly rise up in her, becoming slightly scared "How does he know that?" Rydel asked, her voice shook a little.

"This is the gift of Pompeii," Lucius said, he couldn't wait to tell Ross the next part of what he knew. Oh how Ross would be so happy to know about this person "every single oracle tells the truth."

Rydel shook her head "That's impossible."

Lucius then looked over at Ross "Ross…" He said, slowly pausing "he is returning."

"Who is? Who's _he_?" Ross asked, confused.

But by the way Lucius was looking at him, it was as if Ross should know who he meant. Ross has met a lot of guys in his life, even the bad ones, so that rounds it down to absolutely anybody.

Could be Riker, could be Rocky, and could be Ratliff.

What is he thinking though? Of _course_ it's not Ratliff, he's trapped.

"And you, Daughter of London," Lucius said, looking over at her "you have _something_ on your back."

Rydel felt her back "What does that mean?" She asked scared. Feeling that nothing was on her back at all. "He is returning? I have something on my back? Ross.. tell me."

Ross looked over at Rydel and shrugged, he didn't even know what it meant.

It got to _He is returning _and then it was like he was a little kid in a giant maze.

Completely lost.

"Even the word 'Ross' is false," Evelina now started again "your real name is hidden. It burns in the stars of the _cascade_ of _Medusa_ herself. You are a lord, sir. A lord… of time…" After that, Evelina fainted onto the floor where Ross and Metella ran to her side.

* * *

**Meh, I'll end it there. I don't even know why I'm doing this because I find it boring to write asdfghjkl. But, it has important things in it about Turn Left, The Stolen Earth and Journey's End and they're all linked together. Turn Left will be, not the next part, but the part after. So say in about 2 chapters time? Maybe I'll have the first part of it done on Saturday. But, I'm thinking of doing the end of Midnight the beginning of Turn Left in one chapter because when you read Turn Left you'll become easily confused, so that's why I need to do the beginning of it in a separate chapter so I can tell you guys what's going to happen. I think I've only told like one person how it goes. **

**PLEASE WATCH: I made a trailer for this chapter, as usual it's at the top of my profile under "The Fires Of Pompeii Trailer" Happy watching! cx**

**5 REVIEWS OF MORE IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE NEXT ONE.**


	36. The Beginning Of The End

**IMPORTANT PLEASE READ: I skipped Part 2 of The Fires Of Pompeii because really, it's just so boring and not exciting for me to write at all and you can pretty much guessed what happened by the end of it, can't you? ****I'm not going to do a quick summery of what was suppose to happen, if you want to know what was supposed to happen then let me know. the only key thing you need to know is that a planet called "Pyrovillia" had gone missing from where Lucius was from, okay? I think you've started to notice a pattern with the planets going missing now haven't you? Well, all will be revealed soon :)**

**So yeah, just PM me if you wanna know what was supposed to happen, okay? :)**

**Thanks.**

**Basically this chapter is kinda just a mixture of "Planet Of The Ood" and some other stuff. I just called it "The Beginning Of The End" because well... it is the beginning of the end basically lol**

**Also, it explains something that you guys have been wondering about since the end of "Partners In Crime" when Rydel talked to Ratliff and she didn't even know it was him.**

**The next REAL chapter with an actual story line isn't till "Turn Left" which is after this chapter :) Well, the one after the next one. The one after this is the start of Turn Left cause I need to explain something to you all about it bc you'll all get confused and to be honest, it can be a little confusing. So I'll explain.**

**I've posted the Turn Left trailers :) They're at the top of my profile if you wanna watch them.. It might give you something to look forward too as well ;) ****So please watch :)**

* * *

**_The Beginning Of The End_**

Ross had set the controls on the TARDIS at random, which kind of terrified Rydel a whole lot. Especially when she's away on some sort of planet a billion miles from Earth because let's face it, wherever they've landed isn't exactly going to be a human planet is it? Even if it is on Earth it'll either be in the future or the past. Which, to anybody else who's travelled with Ross, wouldn't find it really surprising. For all they know they could go through a black hole at any point.

Now they found themselves on some planet that was full of snow, along with some random rocks. Ross had told Rydel it was the "Ood" planet, which she's guessing the Ood are some sort of alien and Ross didn't pick this planet, the TARDIS did. Being with Rydel, Ross had set it at random plenty of times, but they just took him places to where he's been before.

With Ratliff.

Camelot, Eighteenth Century France (which would mean Ross and Rydel would run into himself, Ratliff and Ryan because of the Clock Word Men and Madame De Pompadour), the Crystal Cave, ALMOST to a Parallel World but Ross managed to seal the little gap in the Void that was opening it up, 2012 and lastly… Canary Wharf.

What, was the universe trying to tell Ross something? Cause it sure did seem like it.

At their time at this Ood planet, it was sort of a blast… considering they both almost got blown to pieces. Yeah, long story short… they had to save the Ood again. Again, meaning Ross had tried it before but it was only about 5 or 6 of them that were possessed by Satan and you'll never guess who he was travelling with when that happened. None other than Ratliff. It was just after Ryan had stayed behind in the Parallel World now that he thinks about it, Ross almost never came back alive after that.

Apart from that, Ross and Rydel were now saying goodbye to the Ood before they went off to somewhere else for another little adventure. "The message has gone out. That song resonated across the galaxies. Everyone heard it. Everyone knows. The rockets are bringing them back. The Ood are coming home." Ross said to Ood Sigma. The song he was talking about was a song the Ood all sang together, it was one of their happy songs which is also like a signal in a way.

Sigma pressed the white ball he had in his hand that went through and joined up to something through the red tentacles on his face which allowed him to speak "We thank you, Time Lord Rydel and Ross, friends of Ood-kind." Sigma said.

Rydel let out a small laugh "I'm not a Time Lord, I'm not gonna tell you again." Rydel said. When she got here and was greeted by Sigma for the first time, Sigma called her a Time Lord. One; she's not an alien so she can't be a Time Lord, second; she doesn't have a head or brain big enough to be one, thirdly; she can't be.

Why on Earth would they think Rydel would be a Time Lord anyway? That's just crazy talk.

Sigma didn't respond to what Rydel just said, he just decided to let Rydel go along with whatever she wanted to think and know "And what of you now? Will you stay? There is room in the song for you."

Ross smiled shaking his head a little "Oh—I've um… sort of got a song of my own, thanks." By what Sigma meant there was to obviously stay with them in their song, which was there life. Meaning, for Ross's life as well as Rydel's to become one with them.

"I think your song must end soon." Sigma said to Ross.

Ross furrowed his brow "Meaning?"

"Every song must end."

Ross gave him a small nod, unsure of what to think of that. "Right, we'll be off."

"Take this song with you."

"We will." Rydel said.

Her and Ross turned around to go back into the TARDIS, but were stopped by Sigma's voice they turned round to face him "And know this, Time Lords, you will never be forgotten. Our children will song of Ross-Rydel, and our children's children, and the wind and the ice and the snow will carry your names forever."

Rydel decided to hold back on saying anything about the mistake again, they were only being nice so there was no need to all 'Rydel-Lynch-style' on them as Ross now calls it. They gave Sigma and the other Ood that were stood behind him one last wave before getting into the TARDIS. Ross started up the TARDIS to leave so they could go someplace else whilst Rydel sat on the chair, putting her feet upon the console as she leant back. She looked around with some sort of impressed happy look "You know, I recon I'd be a great Time Lord…" Rydel said.

Ross gave Rydel a look telling her she was crazy "Rydel, they made a mistake. The only reason they thought you were a Time Lord was because you were with me…"

"Oh, you have to go put me down," Rydel said as she started to slowly walk around the console "bet they never called Ratliff a Time Lord when you met them with him."

"No, they did not."

"Exactly," Rydel smiled "obviously he wasn't special enough to be called a Time Lord." She joked.

"Yeah… clearly…" Ross said walking over to the chair and sitting down on it. He looked up to Rydel as she came closer to him "though… to be honest… if he stayed a little bit longer I recon he'd of been able to pass as one. You know, apart from the not living forever thing and not being able to fly the TARDIS. Which reminds me, I never taught anybody how to fly this thing… and that was the one thing I was gonna do with him because I thought it'd be funny. And Ryan too," Ross laughed "oh Jesus, how I miss that boy. He was such an idiot, funny too. But he was great to have around."

Rydel slowly sat down next to him "Wow, that's the first time you've talked about Ratliff without getting all… unhappy about it."

Ross shrugged "Don't know. Maybe I've just realised it's time to… move on and let go of what happened. Of course, not move on, move on… but you get what I mean."

"What did happen to him anyway to get lost? You've never actually told me. You've always said 'lost' or 'gone' which is beginning to make me feel like he's really dead."

"To your world he's dead," Ross said, getting comfier in his seat as he realised he knew he was going to have to do a lot of explaining now "but to another world… he's pretty much alive, and Ryan. Except, to our world Ryan's still alive and has just gone AWOL, as for Jenna… I think she's classed as dead too. I'm not sure, I only know about Ryan and Ratliff."

"Still… still not telling me what happened."

Ross sighed, rolling his eyes "Okay, you know that battle of Canary Wharf thing you missed because you had a 'hangover' that day?" Ross asked, Rydel nodded remembering she had told him that the day they first met "basically, imagine our world and think of another world that's just exactly like it except… it's not. It's a Parallel World and every choice that you make creates a different version to what could have happened with that choice. Let's say for example, however you met me," he said, seen as though he couldn't think of anything else "there is a Parallel World out there right now of that choice with you there. So that's _your_ Parallel World. But in Ratliff's Parallel World, it's different. It's where his Mom and his brother Matty are still alive after they died as well as his Grandma who looked after him and instead of Matty being dead in that Parallel World, Ratliff and Jenna are. Or were. Now they're as alive as anything living there."

"Wait, he got trapped in a Parallel World?" Rydel asked "I'm confused. Can't we visit Parallel Worlds?"

Ross shook his head "Oh no," Ross said "that's dangerous. There is a wall in the universe that keeps this world and all Parallel Worlds separate from one another, and if that starts breaking down then that means that the real world and the Parallel Worlds can clash together and when the walls of the universe break down, it's not good. Now they're closed forever."

Rydel nodded "Okay, so… How did he get trapped?"

"Battle of Canary Wharf. Cybermen, Dalek's… big thing between them. Don't worry though, you'll never meet them the Dalek's and the Cybermen are gone forever, it was actually thanks to Ratliff as well as me they're gone. He saved the world and the price he had to pay for it was getting stuck in the Parallel World. There were these levers that opened up this Void which sucked in the Cybermen and the Dalek's, killing them when they went inside, we'd pushed both of the levers up to keep the Void open but unfortunately when it was almost done, Ratliff's lever blew up and started going down so he had to get up and by this point Jenna and Ryan were already in the Parallel World. He tried to hold on as best as he could and he let go, honestly my heart was in my mouth at that moment because I thought he was going to die. But, Matty showed up in the nick of time and zapped back to the Parallel World and when the Void was sealed, that was it. No more travelling to Parallel Worlds and vice versa."

Rydel frowned a little "Isn't there a way to get him back without damaging this 'wall'?" Rydel asked, Ross shook his head. "But let's just say for one moment, I don't know, Ratliff comes back – even though from how you explained it, it does seem impossible, what would happen then."

"Technically it wouldn't be his fault, but it would mean the walls of the universe breaking down again. It'd be a Canary Wharf Battle all over again, except this time with the whole World even though it was last time, just Canary Wharf suffered more," Ross explained "this time, what would happen is that…" he paused "I don't know really. Anything could happen, but it wouldn't be good it'd be a bad thing. I'd go as far to say the end of the world."

Rydel's eyes widened a little bit at how extreme Ross had gone with that "Damn… I only asked that because I want you to be happy again and you're not happy without him around, I can tell," Rydel said "yes, you've got me but I'm obviously nothing compared to Ratliff to you. In a way, I guess I'm just the blanked out best-friend."

"Aw no, Rydel," Ross said, putting his arm around her and pulling her close "your different. I promise. I'm not just saying that, you literally are," he said with a small laugh "your funny and make me laugh, it'd be a shame for you to leave me."

Rydel smiled a little "Thanks." She said sitting back up. "So seriously? End of the world if the walls of the universe break down?"

"No, not exactly. It's just… bad if they break down because god knows what would happen."

"Yeah… but let's just say it was the end of the world because of the walls breaking down, what would happen?" Rydel asked, becoming more intrigued.

Ross shrugged, even though he knew. He then shook his head, leaning forward "Then I'm afraid it's the end of the world. I've saved the world many times once before, but if the walls of the universe break down again I don't know what I'll be able to do this time."

**Next Time: **Turn Left

**Then: **The Stolen Earth

**Later: **Journey's End

**After: **The End Of Time {Final Chapter(s)}

* * *

**I needed to keep this chapter short and with some sort of explanation about what everyone's been wondering about. I have no idea where I was going with this but I needed the "I think your song must end soon" scene somewhere, so I thought I'd add it into here :D **

**So yeah, the next chapter might be a bit of the short side as well so I'm gonna start writing it now and HOPEFULLY get it updated again later today so I can start Turn Left which you will ALL love but find confusing at the same time haha**

**PLEASE READ: Now, I want you ALL to go watch the trailer's I've made for "Turn Left" cause it's kinda important you do and it'll give you all something to look forward too :)**

**5 REVIEWS OR MORE FOR THE NEXT ONE.**


	37. Midnight & Turn Left

_**Okay, so I'm not bothered I got 2 reviews for the last chapter because it was a short and not very important one but THIS IS a VERY important one! SO PLEASE fucking read it! **_

_**She tried to say in a nice way cx**_

_Flashback_

* * *

_**Midnight & Turn Left**_

After being on the Ood planet, Ross did actually _try_ to teach Rydel how to fly the TARDIS and whilst they were doing that a phone started ringing. Not just any phone oh no…

The phone Laura and Rocky gave to Ross to get back in touch with him if they needed him.

So Ross went back to Earth with Rydel and reunited with the pair of them, which wasn't so bad because he thought they were all going to fight but they never. It turned out that Laura and Rocky were not fully trained qualified doctors for a UNIT base, which was good. Ross found out that Laura was married to someone, but she wouldn't tell him who because apparently he wouldn't quite believe her and he'll find out for himself one day. There were these aliens called the Sontaran's trying to poison the Earth, but with Rocky, Ross and Rydel's good skills they managed to stop it all. It would if been Laura as well but she got kidnapped by them and got made a clone and when they found out – even though Ross already knew by the way she was acting it wasn't her – Laura and Rocky decided to go on one last trip with Ross along with Rydel.

They ended up in some place far away with these fish men who had a green bubbling tube as a mouth. Oh yeah, and they met Ross's _daughter_. The only reason he got one was because he got his hand shoved into this thing that took his biology and just created a girl that was in her teens called Jenny. It was actually quite scary how much they were alike even though she was literally an accident. But unfortunately when Ross was just accepting it and getting close to her, she got shot and died. Though when Ross left, she came back to life using up one of her lives. He didn't know that, but he had some sort of feeling about it. After that, he dropped Rocky and Laura back on Earth so they could go home. Knowing they'd probably meet again someday, right?

After Rocky and Laura had left again, Rydel and Ross went back in time and actually met Agatha Christie. Which was fun. You know, with all the murders and stuff. Nothing much more interesting happened. Actually, there's a lie. It did.

Ross and Rydel had their first kiss together!

To be honest, it wasn't a kiss they were planning. Ross just got poisoned by someone and because he is who he is he had to eat certain things and lastly he needed a shock to get the poison out of him so he'd live, so Rydel just went up to him, grabbed his face and kissed him for the shock.

It worked.

But the same thing kept on getting mentioned throughout the whole journey they'd been on previously.

Planets going missing.

Now there was seriously something up.

And now Ross sat quietly on the floor of a train called Midnight, along with the other 4 or 5 passengers who were still on board and spread out in the cabin, just sitting alone all lost in their own dark thoughts over what had happened in the past couple of hours.

At first, Ross thought it would have been a good idea to go on this train, Midnight, on his own without Rydel whilst she just stayed in this other place that was on the same planet safe and sound. He knows he sounds stupid saying he wished he'd of brought Rydel along, but to be honest she was much safer where she was.

There was this thing that kept banging on the outside of the train cabin, trying to find a way inside where it possessed this women, Sky, badly. She just kept repeating everything what everyone said which meant if they didn't stop it, it would get into someone else and they'd eventually end up all dead. Then it managed to possess Ross, and this older woman who just wanted everyone safe almost convinced everyone to throw Ross out of the train, but it was soon revealed by the Hostess on the train that it wasn't him it was still Sky. So the Hostess grabbed Sky and threw her out of the train, along with herself because she wouldn't have been thrown out otherwise.

2 people died today.

One for the better and the other for the worst.

_"Repeat, Crusader 50, rescue vehicle coming alongside in three minutes, door-seals set to automatic. Prepare for boarding, repeat, prepare for boarding." _

Ross lifted up his head slightly, looking around at everyone on the train when he heard the voices of the rescue team "The Hostess… what was her name?" Ross asked. He can't believe that he never asked what her name was.

That's when everyone realised themselves, suddenly becoming ashamed. "I don't know…" an old man, Hobbes, said looking just as shameful as everyone else did.

Back in the Leisure Palace, Rydel walked slowly towards Ross not saying a word to him as they got closer and closer to one another. Without saying a word, she just hugged him for comfort and relief, finally glad he was back from the Midnight train. She couldn't have bared to of lost him. Then where would she be?

In fact, where would the whole world be without him?

Cause let' face it, if there was no Ross around… the world would have been long gone a long time ago.

Now they were just sat down somewhere in the area they were at across the table from one another "What do you think it was?" Rydel asked, trying to be as nice and delicate about the subject as possible. Ross just shrugged "Do you think it's still out there?" She asked, Ross never gave an answer that time "well, you'd better tell them. This lot."

Ross nodded "Yeah. They build a Leisure Palace somewhere else. Let this planet keep on turning, round on an Xtonic star. In silence."

Rydel let out a small laugh with a small smile "Can't imagine you without a voice."

"Molto bene." Ross said with a weak smile.

"Molto bene!" Rydel teased him.

"No, don't do that," Ross said, his smile fading. This time it was completely gone and he'd turned very serious, in a more depressing, sad and sort of angry way "don't. Just…. Don't."

* * *

After leaving the diamond planet, Ross decided they needed to take a break and get out doing something fun where it didn't involve danger or death. So he took her to a Chinese oriental, but clearly alien, marketplace which looked fun. The crowded street they were on itself looked like a regular street from Earth, but when you looked up into the sky to see all the flying cars, busses and taxis etc. you knew they weren't on Earth. It could be the future, but it most definitely wasn't Earth.

They were having a blast.

A narrow crowded street had various people selling their strange wares, which Ross and Rydel were walking down. They walked down the marketplace laughing together when they both walked up to a stall which were selling beverages of these strange drinks, so why not have one? They both had one in their hand "You are going to love this," Ross said "one, two, and three—"

The pair of them took a swig of the drink, giving themselves both foamy moustaches after taking the drink away from their lips. Rydel squealed with laughter "It's lovely!" She said brightly. This was definitely the best time ever.

They put the drinks down and continued on going down the alleyway, browsing at things where they then both went their separate ways. "You want to by Shukina?" Someone at a stall asked "or Peshwami? Most beautiful Peshwami in all of Shan Shen."

Rydel glanced over to Ross who was chatting enthusiastically with the seller of this strange fruit with spikes coming out of it, she smiled a little before looking back at the woman "No thanks." She politely.

Rydel walked a little further down the alleyway where she was spotted by a fortune teller sitting outside her tent, she soon stood up when she saw Rydel walking by "Tell your fortune, lady?" She asked, Rydel turned to her "your future predicted, your life foretold."

Rydel shook her head "No thanks."

"Don't you want to know – if you're going to be happy?" The fortune teller asked.

Rydel smiled again "I'm happy right now thanks."

The fortune teller looked Rydel up and down as she was beginning to become desperate for Rydel to come with her "You've got blonde hair. Readings free for blonde hair."

Rydel laughed "Oh, go on then."

The Fortune Teller stood aside, allowing Rydel to go into the tent – after looking around with a furtive and slightly sinister glance outside at the alleyway, she followed Rydel inside.

Moments later, Rydel found herself sitting on the opposite side of a table with the Fortune teller who caressed Rydel's palms with a nail-polished finger "You're fascinating," The Fortune Teller said as she read her palms "Oh no, but you're good. I see… a man," she said, making Rydel half laugh as she knew she meant Ross "the most remarkable man. How did you meet him?" She asked.

"You're supposed to tell me."

"I see the future," The Fortune Teller said "tell me the past. When did your lives cross?" She asked, digging deep for information if her plan was to work.

Rydel sighed with her eyes closed, like she had been since this woman started talking about her future "It's sort of complicated. I ended up in his spaceship on my wedding day."

There was then a strange clicking noise in the air, which Rydel hadn't noticed yet, but the Fortune Teller responded with slightly narrowed eyes to where the sound was coming from "But what led you to that meeting?" She asked.

"All sorts of things," Rydel said, but after a moment's thought she started speaking "but my job, I suppose. It was on Earth… this planet called Earth, miles away. But I was a secretary at this place called HC Clements."

That's when Rydel gave a strange lurch.

_The phone started ringing at Rydel's desk in HC Clements, so she picked it up and answered it, looking around the office "Hello?"_

Rydel then came back to where she was, she exhaled as she was slightly shaken from what she had just done "Sorry…" She said. Did she actually just go back and relive that moment?

The Fortune Teller, again, caressed Rydel's palms "It's the incense. Just er – breathe deep."

Something close to the floor behind Rydel started creeping up on her, accompanied by the clicking sound again which still Rydel hadn't noticed. Rydel just kept on going on about how she met Ross "There was a choice… six months before. The agency offered me this contract with HC Clements."

_Rydel and her Mom, Sylvia, came out of their house and made their way over to the car._

"But there was this other job. My Mom knew this man…"

_"Jival," Sylvia said "Jival Chowdry?" She asked as they both got into the car._

_Rydel drove along the streets as her Mom kept on babbling on about this other job to her which just made Rydel want to stick her finger nails into her Mom's eyes to shut her up about it, she just couldn't understand that Rydel wanted to work at HC Clements "He runs that little photocopy business. And he needs a secretary."_

_"I've – got – a – job." Rydel said with the air of someone being nagged, in which she was._

_"As a temp," Sylvia said, feeling the need to let that stick out "this is permanent. It's twenty thousand a year, Rydel."_

_"HC Clements is in the city," she said as she felt the grip on the steering wheel of the car becoming tighter with anger "it's nice. It's posh. So, stop it."_

"Your life could have went one way or the other," The Fortune teller said as she slowly started to tighten her grip around Rydel's palms "what made you decide?"

Rydel shrugged "I just did."

Again, the thing that was on the floor started getting even closer to where Rydel sat. "But when was the moment? When did you choose?" The Fortune Teller asked.

_A large blue van drove past Rydel's car where she and her Mom were sat at a junction in the car as Sylvia continued onto nag Rydel, which she felt like it was going to carry on until her grave "It won't take long, just turn right," Sylvia said "we'll pop in and see Mr Chowdry. Suzette can introduce you."_

_"I'm going LEFT," Rydel said, clearly fed up by her tone "if you don't like it, get out and walk."_

_"If you turn right, you'll have a career. Not just filling in." Sylvia said instant._

_Rydel raised her voice "You think I'm so useless!"_

_"I know why you want a job with HC Clements," Sylvia said, mockingly towards Rydel "because you think you'll meet a man with lots of money and your whole life will change. Well, let me tell you, sweetheart: city executives don't need temps, except for practice."_

_"Yeah. Well, they haven't met me."_

_And with that, Rydel turned left in the car._

"Your turned left," The Fortune Teller said, with some sort of amazement "but what if you had turned right? What then?"

At that point, Rydel started to become shaken and suspicious "Let go of my hands."

The Fortune Teller gripped onto Rydel's hands tighter "What if it changes? What if you go right? What if you could still go right?"

The crawling thing on the floor closed in on Rydel.

In Rydel's mind, all she could see were the headlight of her car that day, the blinking arrow indicating her direction, flashing in quick succession. Rydel came back to where she was, feeling herself slowly slipping away from where she was "Stop it." She said becoming scared, the crawling thing clicked and started to dart up Rydel's back. Rydel froze as she felt it on her back "What's that?" She asked, hearing the clicking "what's on my back?!"

The Fortune Teller didn't answer Rydel, instead she merely fixed her with an intense, somewhat greedy stare. "What is it?" Rydel asked "what—what's on my back?"

A black spindly something touched Rydel's shoulder as it was placing itself nicely on her back "Make the choice again, Rydel Lynch," The Fortune Teller said viciously, trying to make her go back and Turn right "turn right."

All of a sudden, Rydel became entranced "I'm turning…" She whispered where then the other black spindly thing reached her other shoulder, completely fixed onto her back.

Now there was no going _back_ on what was about to happen.

"Turn right…" The Fortune Teller said. Becoming completely satisfied at how successful it was.

Rydel getting trapped in her own Parallel World with no clue of the life she's in now, how wonderful.

Such a shame there was nobody else in a Parallel World she knew that would realise what was going on, wasn't it?

_"Well, let me tell you, sweetheart: city executives don't need temps, except for practice."_

_Rydel sighed as she looked out the front window of her car "Yeah. Suppose your right." With that, Rydel turned her indicator to right and then proceeded in turning right, instead of left._

"Turn right and never meet that man. Turn right and change the world!"

And off Rydel was to get trapped in her Parallel World to the life she could have had instead of the one she has now.

God knows what would happen.

Or better yet, god knows who she'd meet there.

* * *

**Hmm.. Parallel Worlds... fun right?**

**PLEASE READ VERY IMPORTANT: Okay, so now I NEED to explain to you guys what the hell's going on other wise your all gonna be confused to fuck. Basically, the fortune teller has made Rydel turn right instead of left like she was suppose to, which means everything's changed and she's living the life she could of had if she didn't turn left. BUT Rydel DOESN'T KNOW anything about her life with Ross in these next few chapters, okay? That's until she meets a CERTAIN SOMEONE that realises Rydel's not suppose to be there, so that person is going to have to help Rydel get back to where she was and get back too Ross. Even though it's whether or not the person succeeds in doing it. Okay? **

**If that didn't help, then let me know in the reviews, please :)**

**Also, I think you know who that "certain person" is ;) Let's just say that "certain person" is back in this story for good now ;)**

**5 REVIEWS OR MORE.**


	38. Turn Left: Ross

**_Yeah, I got 4 reviews for the next one, but I've just been getting so impatient with updating this because I have the rest of "Turn Left" written out cx aghfjhvdjfkcmfd I can't wait for you guys to see the rest of this story because your gonna love it! cx _**

**_Enjoy!_**

_Flashbacks/Walkie-Talkie/TV Screen_

* * *

**_Turn Left: Ross_**

A Christmas party was being held at a pub, crowded with decorations and people singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" as Rydel elbowed her way through the crowd with a tray of drinks from the bar over to her friends. Finally the people had finished their song where then "Merry Christmas Everyone" by Slade blared out from the speakers. "Get out of the way. Get out of the way!" Rydel called as she came through the crowd, finally joining her friends at the table "there we are! Feed at the trough."

Veena, who was sat just opposite Rydel, looked at her with some sort of idea "Mooky says let's go to the Boardwalk. It's two for the price of one."

Rydel looked at her as if she was losing the plot "Christmas Eve?" Rydel questioned "it'll be heaving."

"Exactly!" Mooky smiled "Get in and grab them!" She said, causing everyone to laugh.

Veena then looked back at Rydel "Hey, that's the second round of drinks you've bought. It was my turn."

"I can afford it," Rydel said, referring to the job she got with Mr Chowdry her Mom suggested instead of the one at HC Clements where god knows what would have happened to her if she got one there. For once in her Mom's life, she was actually right about something in Rydel's life. Getting a job with Mr Chowdry was the best decision ever "promotion. You are talking to Jival Chowdry's personal assistant, I'll have you know. Capital P, capital a, twenty-three thousand pounds per annum, merci beaucoup!"

Veena raised her glass "Here's to Mr Chowdry."

"She gets all the luck." Mooky said after everyone had just toasted.

Rydel looked beside her where she noticed her friend Alice hadn't joined in on the toast, so she just clinked her glass with Alice's as she seemed to be in some sort of trance as she looked at Rydel. What Rydel hadn't noticed was that Alice had been regarding her somewhat nervously ever since Rydel had sat down, looking at Rydel's back and just staring at it in some sort of horror with a very faint clicking noise in the background.

Rydel couldn't hear the clicking though, she didn't even know there was anything on her back. "What's wrong? What is it?" Rydel asked, becoming slightly concerned.

"Sorry?" Alice asked bewildered.

"Has someone spilled a drink on me?" Rydel asked, as she finally noticed Alice was looking at something one her, so she strained round to look at her own shoulder "why do you keep looking at my shoulder and back? What's wrong?"

Alice's eyes widened "I don't know…" She whispered.

"Oh, don't tell me you're getting all spooky again. It was bad enough when you saw the ghost of Earl Mountbatten at the Boat show. What are you looking at? What is it?"

Alice was undeterred by Rydel's jibes "it's like… it's like there's something I can't see!" She said, referring to her back. It was like there was something there, but Alice couldn't see it.

Rydel started to stare at Alice as she became unsettled. "Shut up, all of you!" A man shouted from the pub door "come and see! Just look at the sky!" everyone then stopped talking and focused on the man "it's a star! It's a Christmas star!"

Rydel and her friends as well as the rest of the pub ran outside and looked up to the sky where they saw a star floating in the air, it was like a Christmas star but it wasn't. Rydel could tell it wasn't, something in her mind was just trying to tell her that.

It looked like a spider web.

But since when has there been a spider big enough to create a web like that? Especially one that flies.

She, including her friends, hurried around the corner to keep the star in their sight. Especially Rydel, she didn't know why but she was just intrigued by it and somewhat amazed. Almost like… she's supposed to be there right now. Rydel shook her head, of course she's not supposed to be there.

The clicking sound came to sound again, Rydel being unaware of it as Alice completely ignored the star as she was engrossed in Rydel's back, staring at it, trying so hard to see what was there…

The web came to a standstill above a busy street and out of each of its points, it shot out beams of electricity. All but Rydel – who was staring wide eyes at the web, and Alice who just continued to stare at Rydel's back in utter horror – started running and screaming for the lives like it depended on it. Rydel became aware of Alice staring at her back again, becoming slightly fearful in her confusion to why Alice was staring at her back "Alice. There's a great big web-star thing shooting at people, and you're looking at me?!"

"There's something on your back." Alice said in quiet terror.

_"And you, Daughter of London," Lucius said, looking over at her "you have **something** on your back."_

Rydel shook her head and held her head. What the hell was that? She had no idea what that was… did she see it on a TV show or something? Or dreamt about it? Weird.

As Alice ran away, Rydel hurried in the direction of the star where it was. Rydel just ignored as Veena was shouting her to come back, she just wanted to take a closer look at the star.

Rydel watched as an army tank rolled to a halt amidst the chaos. A few seconds later, Rydel jumped as it fired towards the Star as well as the other strategically placed tanks did also. The web-star burst into flames almost immediately and came crashing down, where Rydel then jogged into the action to get even closer.

Something was just pulling her there.

Rydel sidled around some cars where she found herself in hearing range of a UNIT solider speaking to his captain on his walkie-talkie. She listened in closely to what the captain and the UNIT solider were talking about.

_"Trap 1 to Greyhound 15: what is your report? Over."_

The UNIT solider lifted his walkie-talkie to his mouth, slightly shaken "From the evidence, I'd say he managed to stop the creature. Some sort of red spider. Blew up the base underneath the Thames River barrier, flooded the whole thing. Over."

_"And where is he now? Over."_

The UNIT solider sighed sadly, trying to string the words together in a sentence "We found a body, sir. Over."

Rydel looked over, as well as the solider, to where there was a body on a stretcher covered over in a red blanket and was being carried into an ambulance. _"Is it him? Over."_

"I think so. He just didn't make it out in time."

The solider watched as an arm that had some sort of black sleeve on fell uselessly over the side of the stretcher – the hand then dropped an object out of its hand onto the floor, where the solider saw it was the sonic screwdriver which only meant one thing.

"Ross is dead," The UNIT solider said "must have happened too fast for him to get to his next life."

The sonic screwdriver twitched on the floor as they loaded Ross's body into the ambulance. Rydel watched as they loaded this "Ross" into the back of the ambulance, feeling some sort of sympathy and emotion for him. She didn't even know who he was. Why was she feeling sad for him? Yes, it was sad he just died trying to protect everyone but Rydel didn't know him personally.

Did she?

As Rydel slowly walked away from the scene, looking down on the floor, her head immediately snapped up when she heard the footsteps of running coming in front of her. She looked up to see a frantic brown haired boy running towards her towards to where they'd just took of the dead body.

Ratliff ran as fast as he could down the road to see what the ambulances were all about where he saw a blonde haired girl, Rydel, walking down the street looking lost.

Wouldn't hurt to ask her what happened, would it?

"What happened? What did they find?" Ratliff asked, breathless. He eventually managed to stop himself from running before sharply turning to Rydel who stopped "Sorry, did they find someone he asked?"

Rydel shrugged "I don't know. Um, guy called Ross or something." She said.

Ratliff's eyes widened slightly, looking like it was about to become a hopefully and happy expression but he didn't both too "Where is he?" he asked.

"They took him away. He's dead."

Ratliff just basically stopped in his tracks on what he was about to do and stared at Rydel, feeling like he'd completely miss-heard what she just said. Rydel looked at Ratliff with some sort of concern "Sorry, did you know him?" Rydel asked.

Ratliff slowly turned away from Rydel in complete and utter dismay, Rydel decided to try do her best to give this guy some sort of hope for his Ross friend "I mean… they didn't say his last name… it could be any Ross." Rydel said.

"I came so far…"

Rydel reached out and touched Ratliff's arm "It could be anyone."

Ratliff's head snapped round, looking at Rydel as if he'd only just seen her with a bit of a jump, which made Rydel jump a little "What's your name?" Ratliff asked, pointing to her a little bit because he could of sworn he's seen this girl somewhere before, or should know her.

"Rydel. And you?"

The clicking noise then started again, Rydel being unable to hear it, which caused Ratliff to become mildly distracted by something on Rydel's shoulder, all the while he was speaking "Oh, I was just… passing by. I shouldn't even be here, this is… wrong. It's wrong. This is so wrong," Ratliff stopped, having no idea where he was going with that, trying to become undistracted by Rydel's back "sorry, what was it? Rydel what?"

"Why do you keep looking at my back?" Rydel asked abruptly.

"I'm not." Ratliff said, averting his eyes.

"Yes, you are," Rydel said angrily, speaking that way too "you keep looking behind me. You're doing it now," Rydel raised her voice and strained to see her own back "what is it? What's there? Has someone put something on my b—"

Rydel faltered when she turned back round, only to see Ratliff was gone. Disappeared in fact, just into thin air. Rydel just looked about her in a state of bewilderment before walking away.

That was strange.

* * *

Rydel stomped her foot in a temper "You can't fire me. I'm your personal assistant." She started to raise her voice. She didn't even know what she done wrong, and now she's getting fired.

"You don't have to make a scene," Chowdry said "just come downstairs and we can have a little talk."

"Oh, I'll make a scene, alright. Right in front of a tribunal – and the first thing I'm going to say is 'wandering hands'!"

Chowdry sighed, just wishing Rydel would calm down "Now, come on Rydel – you know what it's been like for the past few months, ever since that Christmas thing! Half my contracts were on the other side of the river and the Thames is still closed off. Look, I can't deliver. I'm losing a fortune."

"Well, fire one of this lot!" Rydel raised her voice "fire Cliff! He just sits there! Don't know what he does all day – sorry Cliff," Rydel apologized turning to him before back at Chowdry and some of the other staff in the room "actually, I'm not sorry," she turned back to Cliff "what do you _do_ all day?"

Before Cliff could answer, the whole office started shaking as there was, what sounded like, some sort of explosion from outside. All of the staff rushed to the window to see what was going on, except Rydel who merely shook her letter open with an irritated sigh. A thunderous black cloud positioned itself over a **_hospital_** a short distance away. Rydel became outraged as she read the letter in her hands "Who typed this? I'm your PA! Did you get someone else to type this?" Rydel asked, the staff all exchanged glanced with one another; clearly bemused at her lack of prioritising "Beatrice!" Rydel said furiously.

A short while later, the TV had been switched on where a reporter on BBC News 24 was standing in the rain under an umbrella. The head line read: **_"ROYAL HOPE HOSPITAL VANISHES IN UPWARD RAIN MYSTERY!"_**

_"It sounds impossible, but the entire hospital has vanished." _The reporter spoke on the TV. Footage of broken pipelines still churning out water in the empty crater where the hospital once stood was shown _"The Royal Hope no longer exists," _a wide shot of the enormous crater showed up that was near the London Eye _"it's not been destroyed – there's no wreckage. It's simply gone."_

The office staff, with the exception of Rydel, were all gathered around the TV listening to it. Rydel on the other hand was packing office supplies in a cardboard box, ignoring the TV "Hole-punch – having that. Stapler – mine. Toy cactus – you can have that Beatrice, catch," she chucked the toy cactus to Beatrice and it squeaked ineffectually as she caught it "Cliff – I'd leave you the mouse mat, but I'm worried you'd cut yourself." She then threw it into the box.

Chowdry became slightly angry at Rydel "Alright Rydel, have some respect. There's two thousand people in the hospital and it's vanished," he said "and doesn't your friend Rocky Lynch training in that hospital with his friend?"

Rydel rolled her eyes, to answer Chowdry's question yes Rocky and his new friend Laura were working in that hospital. "Oh, I'll show you vanishing," Rydel said "thanks for nothing. Oh, and you know when that money went missing from the kitty? Anne-Marie. That's all I'm saying," Rydel then yelled: "Anne-Marie!"

A rumble then happened again which caused the office to shake once more. "Oh, don't tell me," Rydel said sarcastically "the hospitals back. Well, isn't that wizard?" she then kicked the draw shut before storming out.

* * *

Rydel and her Granddad, Wilfred, were watched the BBC News 24 in the evening whilst Sylvia was going through the box of supplies Rydel stole from the office after getting fired. _"To confirm, the Royal Hope Hospital was returned to its original position, but with only **one** survivor. The only person left alive is medical student Oliver Morgenstern." _

_Morgenstern was wrapped in a shock blanket as he talked into the camera and microphone to explain what had happened "There were these creatures…" he swallowed "like… rhinos, talking rhinos, in-in—in black leather."_

"Rhinos?" Rydel questioned.

"Rhinos could be aliens." Wilf said with his brow furrowed.

Rydel hushed Wilf as Morgenstern continued on speaking.

_"There were hundreds of them. We couldn't breathe. We were running out of air. Two colleagues of mine gave me the last oxygen tank. Laura and Rocky. Rocky Lynch and Laura Marano," Morgenstern said, his face then softened as it became sadder "and they—they died. Rocky and Laura are dead."_

Rydel's eyes widened. Rocky was dead? And his friend Laura… yeah, Rydel didn't know him so well but it was still sad. She slouched down in the couch a little. Sylvia was just removing said items from the box Rydel had brought home "At least you got a hole-punch. And a raffle ticket." Sylvia said, turning the ticket around and looking at both sides.

Rydel nodded "Yeah, well they can keep the raffle. I wouldn't take a penny off that man."

"Honestly, you two—"Wilf said, reprimanding "there's aliens on the news. They took that hospital all the way to the moon and you're banging on about raffle tickets."

Rydel rolled her eyes, looking back at her innocent Granddad "Don't be daft, Gramps. It wasn't the moon! It couldn't be."

"Yes, well, I'm telling you – it's getting worse," Wilf said, adding a little point to the TV screen "these past few years, it's like, all of a sudden, they suddenly know all about us and… there's keen eyes up there and they're not friendly."

Rydel slowly looked after from her Gramps and over to her Mom "Can't believe how well you're taking it, me getting fired. Thought you'd hit the roof."

"I'm just tried, Rydel," Sylvia said with a sigh, obvious tiredness in her voice "what with your father and everything. To be honest, I've given up on you."

Sylvia didn't sound angry when she said that, she just sounded disappointed. Rydel just looked away from her guilty as the reporter started talking again. _"…This further report just in, from Oliver Morgenstern."_

_Morgenstern then started speaking again "There was this woman who took control who said she—she knew what to do, said she could stop the MRI or something – Maia, her name was. Maia Mitchell."_

_"Maia Mitchell was a freelance investigative journalist formally of Metropolitan Magazine…" photographs of Maia displayed on the screen, one more of a recent one and one that was slightly older "her dead body was recovered from the hospital late his afternoon. Miss Mitchell had a brother called…"_

"What's for tea?" Rydel asked. She then forced cheeriness, even though she knew it wasn't going to work "I'll get chips. Last of my wages. Fish and chips, yeah?"

Her smile faltered as neither Sylvia or Wilf responded, Sylvia just adjusted a vase of flowers while Wilf watched the TV miserably.

* * *

Later that night, Rydel walked down the street alone looking sort of unhappy after what had happened earlier with her Mom and Granddad. She's not surprised her Mom's given up on her, but it just seemed like her Granddad was too. She didn't want him to because if she's quite honest, she'd be lost without him.

All of a sudden Rydel saw a flash of light and heard a buzz of electricity coming from an alleyway. At first she ignored it, but it happened again and the next moment, Ratliff came flying out the alleyway on his feet.

Ratliff had to stop quickly before he smashed into the wall on the opposite side of the road "This is why we don't let Ryan control this thing!" Ratliff shouted towards the alleyway, even though what he'd just came through had closed and it was more than likely Ryan and Matty couldn't hear him.

Rydel ran over to Ratliff as he walked back onto her side of the road "Oh my god! Are you alright? What was that, fireworks or…?"

"I don't know!" Ratliff lied, trying to act surprised "I just was just walking along and… that's weird."

Rydel took a closer look at the boy standing in front of her, that's when she instantly recognised him from the Christmas that had just passed. She looked Ratliff up and down, seeing he was still wearing the same clothes as well "You're the one," Rydel said "Christmas Eve – I met you in town."

Ratliff also looked Rydel up and down "Rydel, isn't it?" Ratliff asked, hoping he'd got the right girl.

"What was your name?" Rydel asked.

Ratliff decided to ignore that question, smiling evasively "How are you doing?" he asked, folding his arms "you're looking good…" the clicking sound then started again where Ratliff obviously became distracted by something on Rydel's shoulder.

"You're doing it again."

"What?" Ratliff asked, looking at Rydel with his eyes even though he was finding it difficult not to look back at her shoulder.

Rydel rolled her eyes "Looking behind me. People keep on doing that – looking at my back."

"What sort of people?"

"People in the streets. Strangers. I just catch them, sometimes, staring at me… like they're looking at something," Rydel said. Ratliff's eyes then involuntarily drifted behind Rydel again, which Rydel saw "and then I get home and look and there's nothing there," Rydel swiped at something on her back, feeling nothing there "see, look, now I'm doing it!"

Ratliff nodded, looking from Rydel's shoulder looking at her in the face "What are you doing for Christmas?" He asked.

Rydel became confused by this, showing it in her face and voice "What am I what?!"

"Next Christmas. Any plans?"

Rydel became clearly stuck to see the relevance of this "I don't know, that's ages away! Nothing much I suppose. Why?" She asked.

"Just… I think you should get out," Ratliff said causally, scratching the back of his head with a little bit of nerves in case Rydel didn't do as Ratliff told her too "you and your family, don't stay in London, just… leave the city." He said with a little hand gesture at 'leave'.

"What for?"

Ratliff shrugged "A nice hotel… Christmas break?"

Rydel shook her head "I can't afford it."

"Well, no, you've got that raffle ticket." Ratliff said eagerly, even though he had the slightest feeling he shouldn't of said that too her.

Rydel looked at Ratliff with suspicion "How do you know about that?"

"First place… luxury weekend break," Ratliff said "use it, Rydel Lynch." He spoke empathically.

"Why won't you tell me your name?" Rydel asked coldly. What was so bad about Rydel knowing this guy's name? Was he somebody that couldn't be known to her or somebody that she knew? Would somebody freak out if Rydel told someone she knew his name? Because it just seemed like it, by the way he looked and acted slightly when you asked about his name.

There's just something about this boy… something that Rydel should know.

Seen as though he gave no answer to her, Rydel walked around Ratliff threateningly "I think you should leave me alone." Rydel said darkly. She then walked away down the street.

Ratliff didn't even bother to try stop her as she walked away. There was no point anyway, Ratliff was going to be able to get her to do what he wanted her to do. He's not stupid, he knows Rydel's not supposed to be here in this Parallel World. Hence why she has that thing on her back people keep on looking at but can't see.

And he needs to tell Ross something.

The only way he can do that is by telling Rydel, and when Rydel gets back to her normal world and Ross… she can tell him. Of course, Ratliff won't say what his name is. Because just by these two simple words Ratliff will say to Rydel to tell Ross…

Ross will _know_ straight away its Ratliff.

He then turned around back into the alleyway where he was greeted by the flashes of blue light and the loud humming, he just walked back into it.

As for Rydel, she did her best to ignore the sound from behind her. But when she turned around there was nothing there.

Not even Ratliff again.

* * *

**See, it's a totally different world if Rydel hadn't of met Ross, isn't it? So, now Ratliff's got to try help her get back to him and out of this world. If it's still confusing for you, let me know and I'll PM you :)**

**Oh yeah, and is anybody happy that Ratliff's back in it for good? I know you probably all can't wait till he and Ross are reunited, I just know it! Lol.**

**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**


	39. Turn Left: Christmas

_TV Screen/Flashbacks_

* * *

**_Turn Left: Christmas_**

**Christmas Time**

Rydel parked up the car in the driveway of a mansion house, with Christmas songs playing on the radio – with it being Christmas and all. A couple of footmen appeared to be waiting for them in the door way. Rydel didn't know why, but she just decided to use that raffle ticket her Mom had found in her box, completely forgetting about that guy she's ran into twice now. God knows if she'll ever see him again. "That's what I call posh…" Wilf said, who was wearing a pair of antlers on his head as he unloaded the back of the car boot, he turned to Rydel who was helping him "I said you were lucky, didn't I? I always said, my lucky star!"

Sylvia rolled her eyes, speaking in a low voice to her Dad "For God's sakes, don't tell them we won it in a raffle. Be classy," she looked up where she saw the antlers on Wilf's head "Dad! Take those things off!"

"No, I shan't! It's Christmas," He then stopped one of the footmen from taking a bag from the boot "Oi, I'll have that one, thank you. It's got my liniment in it."

Rydel and Sylvia strolled leisurely up the drive towards the house "I reckon we deserve this. It's been a hell of a year." Rydel said as she looked at the house in front of her, even though there was obviously going to be other people staying here and not just them.

"Your Dad would have loved this."

"Yeah. He would've." Rydel sighed. She then put her arm around her Mom and they walked inside the house together with Wilf following them close behind.

* * *

It was the next day, which meant in was Christmas Day, and Rydel was stood in the bathroom getting ready and dressed whilst Sylvia was laid in her bed flicking through the channels and Wilf's feet were sticking out of the end of his blanket he was wrapped up in on the sofa when someone knocked at the door. "Oi, Gramps!" Rydel called "get that! That'll be breakfast. Croissants!"

Wilf shifted himself, seeing Sylvia all tucked up in bed kitted out with a silk nightdress and dressing gown as she was making her way through a box of chocolates. "Why can't you get it, Lady Muck?" Wilf asked, grudgingly to Sylvia.

Sylvia just continued on flicking through the channels "It's Christmas Day – I never get up before ten," she then nodded towards Rydel "only madam there was up with the dawn chorus, like when she was six years old."

Wilf rubbed his bleary eyes. "I'm not wasting a second of this place," Rydel said enthusiastically from the bathroom, she then looked out through the doorway over to her Granddad "how was the sofa?"

"Oh, yeah… not so good, really," Wilf groaned as he stood up, massaging his back from the pain the sofa gave it from sleeping on it "you know, we could have paid for a second room. Oi!" Wilf whistled and pointed over at Rydel "Merry Christmas!"

Rydel chuckled and pointed back to him "Merry Christmas!"

Knocking continued on the door again "Yeah, alright, come in, my darling. Grubs up." Wilf said, standing aside to let in the maid with the breakfast tray "Merry Christmas!" He said.

The channel Sylvia was watching was then cut off and turned to the BBC News.

_"We have interrupted your programme to bring you breaking news."_

Sylvia's eyes widened "Have you seen this?"

Rydel ignored Sylvia's pleas to watch the TV where the news was, continuing to get ready in the bathroom – even though she was already dressed – she was just brushing her hair, going on and on about what they could do for the day "Because I thought, nice and early breakfast and then we'll got for a walk," Rydel said "people always say that at Christmas, 'oh well all went for a walk'. I've always wanted to do that."

The maid finished setting the tray down in the living room of the hotel room with a smile, but then she saw Rydel brushing her hair in the bathroom and she froze in gear. "So, walk first, presents later, yeah?" Rydel asked.

Sylvia's eyes just stayed riveted to the TV "Rydel, come and see."

The maid, who was Spanish, kept on repeating something to Rydel which she couldn't understand "Tienes algo en tu espalda."

"What?" Rydel asked.

"Rydel, look at the TV!" Sylvia said urgently.

"Tienes algo en tu espalda!" The Maid said just as urgently as Sylvia.

Rydel shook her head, becoming really confused and a little panicked at why the Spanish maid was getting all worried and scared of Rydel all of a sudden "What does that mean? I don't know what you're saying!"

"Rydel, look at the TV!"

The Spanish maid just became fearful and suspicious of Rydel "Tienes algo en tu espalda!"

Rydel shook her head again, but out of the corner of her eye in the mirror. She saw it. She something black on her back, some sort of giant beetle just clinging onto her back with spindly legs. The clicking sound started again and it sounded like the pincers of a beetle tapping together. It was like… it was there on Rydel's back but it wasn't at the same time. That was when the maid ran from the room as fast as she could, but it was largely ignored by everyone in the room due to the nature of the news of the TV.

"For God's sake, Rydel, don't just stand there – come and look!" Sylvia snapped.

Rydel strained to see her back in the mirror, turning, feeling herself but whatever it was that was on her back was all of a sudden gone.

_"It seems impossible, but this footage is live and genuine," _finally the family in the room, including Rydel, gave their undivided attention to the TV _"the object is falling on Central London. Repeat: this is not a hoax. A replica of the Titanic has fallen out of the sky and it's heading for Buckingham Palace."_

Footage, of what the news reporter had said, of what appeared to be the Titanic was shown falling from the sky with the headline: **_"TITANIC REPLICA HEADING FOR LONDON!"_**

_"We're getting this footage from the Guinevere range of satellites." _

Rydel shook her head, trying not to believe it "Is that… a film or something?"

_The TV screen showed the replica of the Titanic was a mere feet above Buckingham Palace. "The Royal Air Force has declared anarchy—"_

That was when the Titanic crashed straight through the roof of the Palace and seconds later, the screen turned to white noise. Meaning the TV broadcast had been cut off, along with everything else. Another few seconds later, the blast from the huge crash shook the whole hotel room. Sylvia pressed the remote control buttons, trying to get the channel back "It's gone. All of them." She said.

Rydel smiled nervously in the absurdity of the situation, trying not to believe what had just happened "No, but the Titanic… well, don't be daft," Rydel said, trying to stay calm "is that like a… sequel?"

Wilf peered through the window and become in absolute revulsion at what he was witnessing "Oh… oh, God rest their souls…"

* * *

Rydel, her Mom and Granddad all gathered outside with the other guests and staff, finding themselves looking over at a large mushroom cloud that had replaced London. Cause now, there was no such thing as London City in England. It was gone. Everyone who in London this day was now and officially dead. "I was supposed to be out there selling papers," Wilf said, shaking a little "I should have been there, we all should of. We'd of been dead."

Sylvia just watched as the whole explosion of the mushroom cloud continued on getting higher and falling down, becoming uncomprehending of the situation that was going on "That's everyone. Every single person we know. The whole City."

"I can't be…" Rydel said in disbelief.

Wilf turned his head slowly to Rydel "If hadn't of won that raffle…"

Rydel's mouth fell open, and if her mouth was any bigger it would of hit the floor in the complete shock she was in.

Was this why that guy wanted her to go get away from London at Christmas?

As her mouth fell open and that was running through her mind, she became aware of someone looking at her. She turned to see the Spanish Maid pointing at her, eyes narrowed as though she was seeing an unholy demon, shaking her head.

* * *

**3 Months Later**

Rydel, Wilf and Sylvia all found themselves crowded at a small desk, speaking to a housing officer. The buzz of people talking and babies crying added to the sense of claustrophobia and chaos. "Leeds?!" Rydel asked, in complete horror "I'm not moving to Leeds!"

"It's Leeds – or you can wait in the hostel for another three months." The housing officer said in a no-nonsense tone.

"All I want is a washing machine." Sylvia said woefully.

"What about Glasgow?" Rydel asked, seeming a little desperate "I heard there was jobs going in Glasgow."

The housing officer just started to get irritated with Rydel at this point to the point where she wanted to grab her pretty blonde hair and smash her face off the desk "You can't pick and choose! We have the whole of Southern England flooded with radiation. Seven million people in need of relocation, and now France has closed its boarders. So, it's Leeds – or nothing! Next!" She then stamped the word "LEEDS" in large red letters on their papers in a very final sort of way.

* * *

Within the hour, Rydel found herself and her family along with other refugees in an army bus being driven to Leeds.

They don't know how long it exactly took for them to get there, but at long last the bus arrived in a street crowded with small terraced houses. A solider was using a loud speaker to let the waiting families, who had now alighted, know where their allocated houses were. They all moved along one by one as they called out the names. "The Daniels Family, billeted at number 15. Mr & Mrs Obego, billeted at Number 31. Miss Contrane, you're in number 8. The Lynch family billeted at number 29."

The three of them picked up the cases they had with them and walked down the street to find number 29, as they walked there was a woman stood in a doorway with her arms folded in the house next to theirs, regarding them all with hostility "Used to be a nice little family in number 29. They missed one mortgage payment – just one – they got booted out. All for you lot."

Rydel slowly turned around, seeing this woman was more than a match for her "Don't get all chirpy with me, Vera Duckworth. Pop your clogs on and go and feed whippets."

Wilf sighed "Come on, sweetheart. You're not gonna make the world any better by shouting at it."

Rydel turned around and continued on heading for number 29 "I can try."

At last they found number 29, only to find that the door was closed. Before they could say another word, the door opened and they were greeted by a beaming Italian man "Hey-ey-ey!" He said, smacking the wall enthusiastically "it's a big house! Room for all. Welcome! In you come."

"I thought this was our house." Rydel said becoming puzzled.

"Is many people's house! Is wonderful! In, in, in," he ushered the three in front of him to come into the narrow hallway "we've been here for eight weeks already. Had a nice little paper shop in Shepherd's Bush – all gone now!" as he talked, two little boys watched them from the stairs as they crowded into the tiny hallway "so, upstairs we have Merchandani family, seven of them. Good family. Good kids," he then eyed one of the boys "except for that one. You be careful of him," he then burst out laughing and ruffled the boy's hair "ah, that's a joking! Where's that smile, eh?" the Italian man gestured to himself "Rocco Colasanto. I'm here with my wife and her sister and her husband and their kids and her daughters kids. We've got the front room," Rocco spoke apologetically "my mother, she's go the back room. She's old. You'll forgive. And this, this is you. This is your palace!"

Rocco showed them all into the narrow kitchen, which had a curtain instead of a door and beds had been made up on the floor. "What do you mean, this is us?" Sylvia asked apprehensively.

"You live here!" Rocco said with apparent delight "you got camp-beds. You got the cooker, you keep warm, you got the fridge, and you keep cool. Is good!"

"What about the bathroom?"

"Nobody lives in the bathroom."

Sylvia shook her head "No, I mean, is there a rota?" She asked.

"Is pot-luck!" Rocco laughed "is fun! I go wake Mamma. She likes new people," Rocco pushed past them so he could get into the hallway, whilst shouting: "Mamma! Is people! Nice people!"

Rydel, Wilf and Sylvia all took in their surroundings of the kitchen with some despair. This was where they were going to be living forever. Or at least for now. "Oh, well. We'll settle in, won't we? Make do? Bit of wartime spirit, eh?"

"Yeah, but there isn't a war," Rydel said, looking at Wilf like she was lost "there's no fight. It's just… this."

"Well, America, they'll save us," Wilf said, refusing to be brought down "it was on the news. They're going to send Great Britain fifty-billion quid in financial aid. God bless America!"

* * *

Late on that night, the inhabitants of number 29 were crowded around the TV in the kitchen, eating food out of tins as they watched the BBC News again about American people turning into little fat white. AKA the Adipose. You know, the creatures from when Rydel met Ross the second time?

Of course, that never happened though did it because Rydel turned right instead of left?

_"America is in crisis, with sixty million reported dead. Sixty million people have dissolved into fat. And the fat is walking." Footage on the screen of what looked like little blobs of fat with faces – also known as the Adipose – were waddling down the street "people's fat has come to life and is walking through the streets." _

Sylvia watched the report miserably as the screen showed footage of spaceships hovering over the buildings in America.

_"And there are spaceships. There are reports of spaceships over every major US city. The fat is flying. It's leaving…"_

"Aliens…" Wilf said.

"Yeah." Rydel said.

Nobody in the room was even surprised or even bothered by it even more, they were just depressed. What was there to be surprised about anymore? The world was basically almost at its end and nobody even had the slightest clue as to why it was. Nothing majorly bad had happened for this all to cause such destruction. Has there?

Least, that's what Rydel knows.

_"The fat creatures are being raised into the air…"_

* * *

Rydel and Sylvia were all tucked up in their camp beds on the kitchen floor that night after watching the news, with the room lit with some candles. Doing their best to try fall asleep, but it wasn't working. The pair of them were talking about people they knew who use to live in London, Rydel told her Mom that maybe some of them went away at Christmas to try ease her nerves, even though it was now March and nothing had been better since December.

Then Sylvia went onto talk about how what if things never get better and if the emergency government don't help them, Rydel was then trying her best to reassure her Mom that things would go better. But then, Sylvia said something that made Rydel feel like she'd heard it somewhere before…

The bees disappearing.

Which was weird. She'd never had a conversation about the bees disappearing, least she doesn't think she has. Maybe in her dreams. Rydel's dreams have been really weird lately though, she keeps on dreaming about this blonde guy who she spends all of her time with – not in a romantic way, but in a friendly way. Like best friends.

When she wakes up the morning, she's disappointed.

Was that weird?

All of a sudden the sound of voices were carried from the living room of Rocco's family and the other family from upstairs, singing a drinking song very loudly. Rydel sighed in aggravation "I am going to _kill_ that man!" Rydel said dangerously, where she then got up off the camp bed meaning business followed by her Mom close behind.

Rydel then burst into the living room where everyone in there shut up and looked over at her as she started raising her voice at everyone "Now, listen, Mussolini –"Rydel's voice faltered "I am telling you for the last time, to BUTTON IT. If I hear one more SEA SHANTY…" Rydel trailed off as she noticed Wilf, her Granddad, sitting in the far corner of the room trying to hide. Making Rydel stare completely bemused at him.

Wilf smiled nervously at Rydel "I always loved a sing-song…"

As Rydel went to go say something to Wilf, she was cut off by the sound of guns coming from outside. She turned around where herself, Wilf and Rocco made their way to the door and outside, only to find a solider was shooting at the back of an army van in the area of the exhaust – the whole street was clouded with smoke as they noticed going outside. Sylvia just stood in the doorway of the house. "Hey-ey-ey!" Rocco shouted at the solider "firing at the car is not so good! You—you crazy or what?!"

"It's this ATMOS thing," The young-looking solider said, stopping firing and looking at the two men and young blonde girl in front of him "it won't stop! It's like gas, it's toxic."

"Well, switch it off!" Wilf said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the whole world.

"I have done, it's still going. It's every car. Every single ATMOS car, they've gone mad."

The clicking sound could be heard through the Soldier's ears, his eyes widened and pointed his gun straight at Rydel "You, lady, turn around!"

Wilf and Rocco automatically then moved in front of Rydel protectively as the Solider pointed his gun at Rydel, aiming right for her. As Wilf and Rocco were shouting at the Solider to put the gun down and the Solider was telling Rydel to turn around to see her back, Sylvia panicked at the door "Do what he says! Turn around, now!" Sylvia shouted over at Rydel in distress.

"Turn around, now! Show me your back!" The Solider yelled.

Rydel turned around with her hands in the air, going between her Granddad and Rocco – where the Solider saw there was nothing at all on Rydel's back. The Solider then lowered his gun in terrified confusion "Sorry… I thought I saw…" He said, shakily.

Wilf approached the Solider angrily "Call yourself a solider? Pointing guns at innocent women?" But Rydel wasn't angry, as she had an idea of what the solider might have seen, seen as though Rydel saw it on Christmas Day.

She turned her head down the street where she saw a flash of blue electrical light and the buzz of electricity that signalled Ratliff's appearance from when they last met and he came flying out of the alleyway because of someone called "Ryan" as Rydel heard him mumble/shout down the alley. As Wilf continued on shouting at the Solider, Rydel let her feet take her silently in the direction of where the blue flash had come from. Sylvia noticed that Rydel was wondering off "Rydel? Where are you doing? It's not safe at night! Rydel! Rydel!" Sylvia shouted petrified, making no move to follow her.

Rydel ignored her Mom's cries for her to come back when she got to the end of the street, she rounded the corner "Hello." Rydel said.

Ratliff just stood there on the corner of the street leaning against the wall, looking at Rydel with no sort of emotion which was the same as Rydel "Hi." He said.

* * *

Minutes later, Ratliff and Rydel were sitting beside one another on a bench in a park as they looked up the sky. "It's the ATMOS devices," Ratliff said, as he stared up at the sky with Rydel "we're lucky it's not so bad here, Britain hasn't got that much petrol. But all over Europe… China, South Africa… they're getting choked by gas." He explained to her.

Rydel looked at Ratliff "Can't anybody stop it?"

Ratliff nodded as he also looked at Rydel "Yeah, they're trying right now, this little band of fighters… on board the Sontaran ship…" Ratliff returned letting his gaze fall up onto the sky and Rydel followed that gaze "any second now…"

In seconds, the sky turned briefly into fire, where it then disappeared and calm was restored. Not that Ratliff wasn't calm, because he was calm, but Rydel seemed on edge and nervous when the sky just turned into fire… but when it returned back to normal she seemed calm once more "And that was…?" Rydel asked.

"Torchwood," Ratliff said, looking from the sky now that there was nothing else to see up there, but he did take occasional glances up at the sky every now and then, unlike Rydel who just kept on looking at Ratliff with some sort of suspicion "Gwen Cooper, Ianto Jones – they gave their lives. And Captain Riker Lynch has transported to the Sontaran home world. There's no-one left." He told Rydel, sounding so tired and numb.

Rydel looked Ratliff up and down, with the same suspicion and curiosity she'd been having about them ever since their first meeting when that Ross guy died "You're always wearing the same clothes…" Rydel said, testily. Ratliff just looked at Rydel, even though he wasn't going to give anything away about himself he just found it so amusing how Rydel wanted to find out who he was.

Maybe it was the part of her from before she ended up here?

"Why won't you tell me your name?" Rydel asked.

"None of this was meant to happen," Ratliff said, still ignoring the same questions Rydel wanted to know. What's the fun in giving the game away, huh? "There was a guy. This… wonderful guy, and he stopped it. The Titanic, the Adipose, the ATMOS, he stopped all them from happening."

"That… Ross?"

Ratliff nodded with a slight smile "You knew him."

"Did I?" Rydel asked shocked, with some sort of wide eyes "when?"

"I think you dream about him, sometimes," Ratliff said, leaning his arm against the back of the bench "it's a guy with this soft looking skin? A tall, thin man… great hair," Ratliff stared at nothing in particular, just remembering as he was trying to describe Ross "some… really great hair."

"Who _are_ you?" Rydel asked with great restraint.

"I was like you," He said, like Rydel knew this. But she didn't know this because of this stupid fortune teller changing Rydel's fate, so now Ratliff's got to clean up the stupid mess and get her back to Ross. The only way he can do that is convince her about Ross, or at least try to get her to remember – even though the last one is very impossible. "I used to be you," Ratliff went on "you've travelled with him, Rydel. You've travelled with Ross in a different world."

Rydel shook her head "I never met him, and he's dead."

"He died underneath the Thames on Christmas Eve, but you were meant to be there," He said, his voice shaking a little "he needed someone to stop him, and that was you. You made him leave. You saved his life."

Rydel stared at Ratliff, and for a second it looked like on her face as if she remembered it.

_Ross threw several handfuls of the baubles into the air. Some surrounded the Empress and some smashed into the walls of the corridor, destroying them and letting the water from the Thames River rush through the torrents quickly. Another bauble exploded, causing fire at the Empress's feet. _

_She wailed as the water flooded into the chamber and down the whole "My children!" The Empress shouted, grief-stricken._

_Ross stood watching in silence as this all unfolded of what he had caused, surrounded by the fire and water, whilst the river swirled down the whole like it was a plughole. _

_The Empress was hysterical and in torturous pain as she was consumed by flames "No! My children! My children!"_

_Rydel watched as this all went on, realising it was enough. She looked up to Ross from underneath him "Ross! You can stop now!" She called up._

Rydel gasped, she didn't remember any of that so she didn't know why she just had that happen. She stood up and walked away becoming afraid "Stop it. I don't know what you're talking about, leave me alone!" Rydel said, obviously afraid.

Ratliff rose from where he was sat "Something's coming, Rydel. Something worse."

Rydel all of a sudden became an angry scepticism "The whole world is stinking," Rydel said in the same angry tone "how can _anything_ be worse than this?"

Ratliff sighed, stepping forwards a little "Trust me. We need Ross more than ever. I've—"Ratliff swallowed, putting a hand to his heart where he all of a sudden stopped. He took a deep breath "I've been pulled across from a different universe, because every single universe is in danger. Its coming, Rydel, it's coming from across the stars and nothing can stop it."

"WHAT is?!" Rydel asked with tears of frustration in her eyes.

"The darkness."

"Well, what do you keep telling _me_ for?!" Rydel asked, becoming bewildered and angry "WHAT am I supposed to do?! I'm nothing special. I mean, I'm—I'm not—I'm nothing special, I'm a temp. I'm not even that, I'm NOTHING."

Ratliff tried to make Rydel see, as he was almost laughing at the notion that Rydel was nothing "Rydel Lynch, you're the most important woman in the whole of creation."

"Oh, don't. Just…" She said with a short mirthless laugh, she shook her head and the smile was gone "don't. I'm tired. I'm so… tried." She then turned around to leave.

"I need you to come with me."

Rydel turned back towards him with a derisive laugh "Yeah. Well. Brown hair might work on the rest of the girls, but you're not shifting me."

Ratliff smiled "That's more like it."

Rydel shrugged "I've got plenty more."

Ratliff shrugged himself, with some sort of smug smile on his face "I know you'll come with me. Only when you want to."

Rydel then began walking away "You'll have a long wait."

"Not really, just three weeks," Ratliff said assuredly as he folded his arms across his chest "tell me, does your Granddad still own that telescope?" He asked, trying to spook her a little to come with him and to make her know he knows far more for what she needs to know.

Again, Rydel turned back around wondering how the hell this guy even knew that "He never lets go of it…"

"Three weeks' time. But you've got to be certain. Because, when you come with me, Rydel… sorry… so sorry, but… you're gonna die."

Rydel just stared at Ratliff at his last sentence. He wants her to go with him… and she's going to die when she does go with Ratliff to wherever he wants her to go.

She just watched him as before her eyes, Ratliff just faded away like a ghost.

* * *

**I can feel the sense of you guys wanting to kill me soon... I just know it... haha cx**

**5 OR MORE REVIEWS IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**

* * *

**(Preview) Next Time...**

Rydel looked up at the sky and back through the telescope again "Well, I can't see anything. It's just… black."

Wilf started to become annoyed and confused "Well, I mean its working! The telescopes working."

Rydel shrugged "Maybe… maybe it's the clouds." She said as she went away from the telescope.

"There's no clouds! There's not! It was there," Wilf said, indicating to the sky "entire constellation."

Rydel stood up and looked to where Wilf was pointing, as he pointed… the stars started to blink out as though someone was turning them off. The stars were going out. "Look… look there…" Wilf said, where the stars started disappearing one constellation at a time "They're going out," Wilf said, becoming horrified "oh, my god, Rydel! The stars are going out."

Rydel was perturbed by this, but not surprised. She knew what she had to do now.

She turned around from where she was stood "I'm ready." She said.

And there stood in front of her, Ratliff was already waiting for her.

* * *

**Like I said... 5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE ;)**


	40. Turn Left: 2 Words

**_Okay, I'm not trying to be funny or anything can you fucking review please that follow this story? I've been waiting for 4 or 5 reviews so I could update this and waiting for them - from the people who are actually dedicated to this story and like it which I love - I wrote about 6 chapters of this story. So can you FUCKING REVIEW. It's not gonna hurt to take 30 seconds out of your fucking life is it?_**

**_Okay, anyway. Shitty start I know._**

**_Here we go._**

_Flashbacks_

* * *

**_Turn Left: 2 Words_**

**3 Weeks Later**

Rydel entered the house, Rocco and his family had just been taken off by the army to some apparent "labour camps" for work and that. But to Wilf and Rocco, they knew they weren't labour camps. And when Rydel found out, she chased the van down the street to try get it to stop but it wouldn't, so she just decided to come back into the house.

She saw her Mom sat in the kitchen at the table deep in thought, so tired and so depressed. Rydel closed the front door behind her where the air between them both seemed to be charged with tension "I asked about jobs, with the army," Rydel said "they said I wasn't qualified," she said, in the hope to get a response out of her but it didn't work, she just stayed there with the same emotion "you were right. You said I should have worked harder at school," Rydel said lightly, still no answer "I suppose I've always been a disappointment."

"Yeah." Sylvia said.

Rydel then paused for a moment where she was, where she then turned around and left Sylvia in the kitchen all by herself.

* * *

Wilf and Rydel bundled themselves up in their winter coats around a lit fire on a blanket, up on a hill where Wilf was doing his usual star gazing with his telescope. Rydel had her head resting against his shoulder, staring into space, and Wilf was sipping a cup of tea and considering his telescope which was set up in front of him. "You know, we'd get a bit of cash if we sold this thing." Wilf said.

"Don't you dare!" Rydel almost snapped at him, there was no way in hell she was letting her Granddad give up the only thing that brings him happiness in his life. She sighed "I always imagined, your old age… I'd have put a bit of money by, make you comfy," she became full of self-disappointment "never did. I'm just useless."

Wilf squinted through the eyepiece of the telescope. Rydel gave him a funny look, as she would of expected him to say something her about now. Don't tell her he was giving up on her now too? "You're supposed to say 'no, no you're not'!"

"Ah, it must be the alignment." Wilf said, not really listening as he was still looking through the telescope.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, I don't know – I mean, it can't be the lens. I was looking at Orion, the constellation of Orion—you take a look," he shifted aside to Rydel could look through the telescope, when she was Wilf started talking again "and tell me, what can you see?" he asked.

Rydel looked up at the sky and back through the telescope again "Well, I can't see anything. It's just… black."

Wilf started to become annoyed and confused "Well, I mean its working! The telescopes working."

Rydel shrugged "Maybe… maybe it's the clouds." She said as she went away from the telescope.

"There's no clouds! There's not! It was there," Wilf said, indicating to the sky "entire constellation."

Rydel stood up and looked to where Wilf was pointing, as he pointed… the stars started to blink out as though someone was turning them off. The stars were going out. "Look… look there…" Wilf said, where the stars started disappearing one constellation at a time "They're going out," Wilf said, becoming horrified "oh, my god, Rydel! The stars are going out."

Rydel was perturbed by this, but not surprised. She knew what she had to do now.

She turned around from where she was stood "I'm ready." She said.

And there stood in front of her, Ratliff was already waiting for her.

* * *

Ratliff and Rydel were being driven in a UNIT van by a member of the army, not saying a word to each other until the van came to a halt outside the UNIT headquarters where they jumped out of the van. Ratliff strode purposefully towards what looked like an enormous warehouse, with Rydel following him as he led the way into it.

Ratliff pushed a curtain aside in the warehouse to allow Rydel and himself to enter the place. Inside, there was a circle of mirrors with lights at intervals between them. The TARDIS was standing a short distance away from the circle, linked to it by bunches of wires. A woman, Captain Magambo, saw Ratliff and Rydel coming, Ratliff was coming first so she saluted him first "Sir."

"I've told you, don't salute." Ratliff said irritably as he started to tamper with the computer. It was weird, Ross hated when people saluted at him also… something he must have picked up from him when he travelled in the TARDIS with him.

Magambo rolled her eyes "Well, if you're not going to tell us your name…"

Rydel looked at Magambo shocked "You don't know either?" She asked. Thank god she wasn't the only one. Obviously there _was_ something about this guy Rydel and everyone else wasn't supposed to know.

"There's too many different realities," Ratliff started to say as he continued on tampering with the computer "trust me, the wrong word in the wrong place can change an entire causal nexus."

Magambo turned to Rydel "He always talks like that. A lot… I think he gets it from someone else, he doesn't seem like the type of person who knew it straight away when he was born," She said "and you must be Miss Lynch."

"Rydel." Rydel said, correcting the Captain. All she wanted was to be called Rydel. Not Miss Lynch and not Ma'am. Just… Rydel.

Magambo shook Rydel's hand "Captain Erisa Magambo. Thank you for this."

Ratliff finished his business on the computer and turned to Magambo "Is it awake?" he asked.

"It seems to be quiet today. Ticking over. Like its waiting." Magambo said, going over to the outside of the TARDIS with Ratliff and Rydel, just a short distance away from it.

Ratliff contemplated the TARDIS with his arms folded "Do you wanna see it?" Ratliff asked, looking at Rydel.

"What's a police box?" Rydel asked, confused.

"They salvaged it from underneath the Thames. Just go inside."

"What fo-?"

"Just go in!"

Rydel then done as she was told, but she clearly didn't understand the logic to this. She gave Ratliff a strange look before opening one of the doors and stepping over the threshold of the TARDIS. Ratliff watched Rydel with a smile, just waiting for her reaction to it. "No. WAY!" She said from inside the TARDIS. She then laughed incredulously.

Ratliff smiled as Rydel came back out and then done the obligatory walk around the outside of the TARDIS, reassuring herself that it really was that small, feeling the sides, mouth hanging open. She went back inside where the TARDIS was completely dark and strangely silent. It looked very different to how it usually looked, almost like the life had been taken from it. Rydel realised her mouth was still hanging open, so she closed it, looking around for a moment before coming back out.

"What do you think?" Ratliff asked, grinning.

Rydel paused for a moment "Can I have a coffee?"

* * *

A small while later, after Rydel had got her cup of coffee, Ratliff and Rydel walked around inside the TARDIS rota, Rydel just clutched onto her steaming cup of coffee. Wires were spilling out all over the console as her and Ratliff continued to walk around it "Time and Relative Dimension in Space," Ratliff said, looking the middle part of the TARDIS up and down "this room use to shine with light," he gazed up at the rota "I think it's dying."

He reached out and rubbed the console with his hand, where the rota risen a little feeble inch or two when it felt Ratliff touch it "It's still trying to help." Ratliff said with a small laugh.

"And… this belonged to Ross?" Rydel asked, trying to get everything straight before she had to go do whatever she needed to do that Ratliff wanted her to.

"He was a Time Lord. Last of his kind."

Rydel then became genuinely puzzled "But if he's so special, what's he doing with me?" Rydel asked. There's nothing special about her, so why the hell would someone like him choose someone like her to be with whilst he travelled.

Ratliff looked at her, giving her a smile "He thought you were brilliant." Ratliff said simply.

Rydel rolled her eyes "Don't be stupid."

"Well, you are! It just took Ross to show that, simply by being with him," Ratliff then looked away from Rydel and down towards the floor "he did the same to me. To everyone he touches."

Rydel watched Ratliff for a moment, seeming to sense something coming from him about Ross "Were you and him…?"

Ratliff looked up at Rydel, and in all the times he'd been asked that question… this was the first time he never had an answer for it. That was when he became distracted by the clicking sound and reached out, smoothing his hand over Rydel's shoulder and back "Do you want to see it?" Ratliff asked, daringly.

"No," Rydel said almost immediately. But Ratliff peered at her back again, making Rydel change her mind "go on then."

* * *

Ratliff had taken Rydel into the centre of the circle where the mirrors and lights were "We don't' know how the TARDIS works, but we've managed to scrape off the surface technology – enough to show you the creature." Ratliff told her as he made sure she stood still in the middle of the circle.

Rydel became alarmed "It's a creature?"

Ratliff straightened Rydel up as Magambo called for Ratliff to get out of the circle. "Can't you stay with me?" Rydel asked fearfully as Ratliff was now out of the circle. Ratliff didn't answer, he just stood there watching her.

"Ready? And… activate." Magambo ordered.

The whirring of the machinery sounded as the lights around the circumference of the circle snapped on, one by one. Rydel screwed her eyes shut tight so she couldn't see on the mirrors of what was on her back. "Open your eyes, Rydel," Ratliff said calmly "open your eyes… look at it. It's part of you Rydel, look."

Slowly, Rydel opened up her eyes and in the mirrors, she saw what was on her back – a massive, black beetle – she gasped in horror and started spinning round frantically. "It's okay, it's okay, it's okay – calm down. Rydel? Rydel? Rydel!" Ratliff said reassuringly.

Rydel finally stopped spinning around, taking deep breaths and looking at the beetle with trepidation. It took up most of her back from where it was attached, its pincers were nuzzling her hair. Upon closer inspection, Rydel realised it wasn't causing her any physical pain. It was just clinging there like a parasite, clicking away "What is it?" Rydel asked, trying to stay calm.

"We don't know," Ratliff said "it feeds off time. By-by changing time, by making someone's life take a different turn, like er… meetings never made… children never born… a life never loved. But with you, it's…" Ratliff shook his head.

Rydel just became frozen with fear "But I never did – anything important."

"Yeah, you did," Ratliff nodded "one day, that thing made you turn right instead of left."

"When was that?"

Ratliff shook his head slightly, giving his hand a small wave "Oh, you wouldn't remember. It was the most ordinary day in the world, but by turning right, you never met Ross and the whole world just changed around you."

"Can you get rid – of it?" Rydel asked, trying to string her sentences together but the fear was just taking over her completely.

"I can't even touch it," He said helplessly, he then peered at it "it seems to be in a state of flux."

Rydel spoke with the air of someone who has had enough of techno-bubble thrown at her "What – does that – mean?"

"I don't know. It's the sort of thing Ross would say!"

Ratliff laughed, forgetting that Rydel wasn't in on the particular joke yet. Instead she just snapped furiously "You liar!" She screamed, her eyes started filling with tears as she became more and more hysterical "you told me I was special! But it's not me! It's this thing! I'm just a host!"

"No, it's more than that," Ratliff said, staying calm unlike Rydel "the readings are strange it's… its like reality's just bending round you. We're getting separate readings from you. And they've always been there, since the day you were born."

Magambo then took Ratliff off that subject, nobody needed to know about that one yet "That is not relevant to the mission."

Ratliff nodded, looking back over to Rydel, speaking quietly "I thought it was Ross we just needed, but it's the both of you. Ross and Rydel Lynch. Together. To stop the stars from going out."

Rydel roared hysterically, shaking with fear and sheer confusion "Why?! What can I do?!" Ratliff gave her an almost imperceptible shake of his head, as he couldn't answer her that question. Rydel half glanced at the beetle, but couldn't bring herself to look directly at it again "Turn it off. Please." Rydel whimpered.

"Power down." Magambo ordered.

As soon as the lights were down, Ratliff went over to Rydel who was shaking uncontrollably even though the beetle was no longer visible, he touched her arm comfortingly. "It's… it's still there though. What can I do… to get rid of it?" Rydel asked.

"You're going to travel in time."

* * *

Ratliff had taken charge now, over Magambo, to Rydel as he was very quickly explaining to Rydel on what she needed to do. Rydel was wearing a thick green jacket and a load of wires. "The TARDIS has tracked down the moment of intervention, Monday the 25th, one minute past ten in the morning," Ratliff explained, quickly "your car was on Little Sutton Street Ealing Road, but you turn right heading for Griffin's Parade. You need to turn left. That's the most important thing. You've got to go back and turn left. Have you got that, Rydel? One minute past ten. Make yourself turn left, heading for the Chiswick Highroad."

Then Magambo came over, explaining how this was going to work to Rydel "Keep the jacket on at all times – its insulation again temporal feedback," She said as a digital watched was placed on Rydel's wrist "this will correspond to local time wherever you land," she then presented Rydel with a glass of water "this is to combat dehydration."

* * *

Back in the centre of the warehouse where the mirrors were, Rydel was led to the edge of the circle by several UNIT Soldier's, Magambo and Ratliff. Ratliff turned to Rydel as they left "This is where we leave you." Ratliff said.

"I don't want to see that thing on my back." Rydel said quickly.

"No! The mirrors are just incidental. They bounce chronon energy back into the centre which we control and decide the destination."

Rydel became awed, looking at Ratliff "It's a time machine."

Ratliff smiled "It's a time machine."

He smiled encouragingly at Rydel as Magambo told Ratliff to leave Rydel, he gave her arm one last squeeze before Rydel stepped into the circle once more. "Powering up." Magambo ordered.

The machinery burst into life again, where the lights snapped on around in the circle. "How do you know it's going to work?" Rydel asked, looking at Ratliff who was stood on the outside of the circle looking over at Rydel.

"Hmm? Oh… yeah… we—we don't. We're just… we're just guessing." Ratliff said, sounding uncannily like Ross when it comes to his plans and he just "guesses" about them.

Rydel laughed apprehensively "Oh, brilliant."

Ratliff nodded with a small laugh himself "Just remember, when you get to the junction, change the cars direction by one minute past ten."

"How do I do that?" Rydel asked urgently.

"It's up to you."

Rydel nodded "Well, I just have to… run up to myself and… have a good argument." She said with a smile, and some form of laughter.

"I'd like to see that!" Ratliff laughed.

A switched was then flicked and the lights blinked where the light on the top of the TARDIS was flashing in the background. "Good luck." Ratliff said.

Rydel became tearful, but she sounded brave when she started speaking "Because I understand, now. You said I was gonna die, but you mean this whole world is going to blink out of existence," Rydel said with a smile, even though you could tell by the look on Ratliff's face that it wasn't the case at all, which Rydel didn't notice she just continued on talking "but that's not dying. Because a better world takes its place. Ross's world. And I'm still alive!" She smiled courageously, but Ratliff didn't answer which made Rydel panic a little "that's right, isn't it? I don't die? If I change things, I don't die? That's… that's right, isn't it?"

She smiled at Ratliff expectantly, needing reassurance from him, but Ratliff couldn't lie to her "I'm sorry." He said.

Rydel's courage started to waver "But I can't die! I've got a future! With Ross – you told me!"

"Activate!" Magambo shouted before Rydel decided to jump out of the circle.

The lights reached full intensity where a strong wind billowed Rydel, where the beetle was once again visible on her back. Sparks flew from the TARDIS which meant Ratliff had to get out of the way before it hit him, the sparks also flew from the mirrors and wires. Where then Rydel disappeared into smoke.

* * *

Rydel reappeared on all fours on the pavement, still covered in wires and wearing the thick green coat. She looked up, seeing everything seemed so normal – a normal day. Rydel stood up from the floor, being hardly able to believe it, she looked around and threw her arms up into the air, laughing with incredulity.

Where then she took in her surroundings properly. She saw it was the day she turned right instead of left, but it was the wrong street _where_ she did it. "Hold on…. But this is… I'm not… this is Sutton Court! I'm half a mile away!" Rydel looked up at the sky, yelling at it "I'm half a mile away!" She checked the wristwatch, seeing it was 9:57 am "four minutes? Oh my god…" She said sick with horror, where then she started running for it.

* * *

Meanwhile, the other Rydel who Rydel was supposed to stop from turning right to go left was getting into the car with Sylvia ready to go "Jival Chowdry?" Sylvia asked her, getting into the car "he runs that little photocopy business in Merchant's Street. And he needs a secretary."

"I've – got – a – job." Rydel said with the air of someone being nagged, in which she was. As she drove down the street.

* * *

Rydel ran as fast as she could down the road, panting for breath but not daring to stop in case she didn't make it to the street in time.

* * *

"HC Clements is in the city," She said as she felt the grip on the steering wheel becoming tighter with anger "it's nice. It's posh. So, stop it."

* * *

Rydel paused by a lamp post for a second to check her watch where she then carried on running down the street, getting faster and faster running down the road as she gasped for breath.

* * *

"I'm going LEFT," Rydel said, clearly fed up by her tone "if you don't like it, get out and walk."

* * *

Rydel continued on running as she felt she was almost at the street where she turned right.

* * *

Rydel raised her voice "You think I'm so useless!"

"I know why you want a job at HC Clements," Sylvia said, mockingly towards Rydel "because you think you'll meet a man…"

* * *

Rydel stopped running down the street for a moment, gasping she checked her watch which read: 9:59. "I'm not going to make it…" Rydel said, completely out of breath like she couldn't go on.

But then she remembered something.

_"You're gonna die." _Ratliff's words echoed through her mind.

Rydel seemed strangely resigned, where she saw the blue lorry driving up the road towards her.

* * *

"…city executives don't need temps, except for practice."

Rydel sighed as she looked out the front window of her car "Yeah. Suppose your right." With that, Rydel turned her indicator on the car so it was flashing right instead of left.

* * *

Rydel just gazed at the approaching lorry as it was getting closer and closer "Please…" She said.

With that, Rydel stepped right out in front of the lorry. The lorry driver slammed on his breaks to stop himself from hitting Rydel, but it was too late. Rydel was hit by the lorry with great force and slammed to the floor where a woman screamed as she watched.

* * *

Rydel and Sylvia sat in the car, getting ready to turn right when they heard a woman screaming "Can you hear that?" Sylvia asked.

The pair of them observed on how the traffic was building up on the right hand side, meaning that it was obvious they weren't going to be able to turn right "The traffic's stopping…" Rydel said.

"Something must have happened!"

* * *

Rydel lied motionless on the road, dying. She opened up her eyes blearily where she saw Ratliff coming slowly into her focus above her. Ratliff slowly approached Rydel's dying body on the floor, knowing now Rydel was finally going back to Ross and the real world she lived in. He knelt down beside Rydel's body.

"Tell him this," Ratliff said, referring to Ross "two words." Ratliff leaned over Rydel's body, whispering something into her ear. Rydel's eyes closed and her head rolled to the side, Ratliff got back up onto his knees beside Rydel after she passed.

* * *

Rydel, who was sat in the car, looked at the traffic building up with dictate "Well, that decides it. I'm not sitting in a traffic jam. I'm going left." With that, Rydel switched the indicator again…

And turned left like she was supposed to.

* * *

In the tent, where Rydel actually was with the Fortune Teller on another planet on a Chinese street, Rydel started screaming as loudly as possible as she finally came back to where she was supposed to be. The beetle that was on her back began to flail as the events that she had just experienced in the alternate world started to rewind very quickly, images flashing through her head – UNIT, Rocco, Ross wreathed in the fire and water, Ross's sonic screwdriver flying back into his hand, the sky on fire, the words 'LEEDS' stamped across a document, the mushroom cloud, the Titanic falling from the sky, the thunder cloud over the hospital.

Now she was back where she was.

The beetle that was on Rydel's back fell off onto the floor, where the Fortune Teller cowered in the corner, staring at Rydel with her eyes full of fear. Rydel stood up, looking at the beetle which twitched and clicked feebly before it died on the floor. "What the _hell_ is that?!" Rydel asked.

"You were so strong," The Fortune Teller said, terrified of Rydel "what are you? What will you be?" she then scrambled for the exit, whimpering as she done so "what will you be?"

The beetle gave its last click and it laid still. The curtains then opened to the tent, where Ross wandered into looking at Rydel "Everything alright?" He asked, mildly.

Rydel looked up at Ross as though she hadn't seen him in years – which in a way she guess she hadn't seen him for years. Only dead on a stretcher. She then went over to him and threw her arms around him, gasping with relief "Oh, God!" She said, hugging him tightly.

Ross laughed as he hugged her back "What was that for?"

Rydel pulled away from the hug, being so happy to see him "I don't know!" She then hugged him again.

* * *

Rydel sat down on the Fortune Teller's box whilst Ross was looking at the beetle, poking it with an incense stick, listening to Rydel as she talked about what she could vaguely remember what she had just experienced "I can't remember. It's slipping away. You know how like when you try and think of a dream and it just sort of… goes." She said.

Ross looked down at the beetle as he continued to prod it with the stick "It just got lucky, this thing. It's one of the Trickster's Brigade. Changes a life in tiny little ways. Most times, the universe just compensates around it, but with you," He said, looking at Rydel sounding almost proud "great big Parallel World!" He said, as he threw down the stick.

Rydel smiled, but then her smile faded "Hold on, you said Parallel Worlds are sealed off."

"They are. But you had one created around you. Funny this is, it seems to be happening a lot. To you."

"How do you mean?" Rydel asked.

Ross shrugged "Well, the library, and this this…"

Rydel let out a very, very small scoff "Just… goes with the job. I suppose." She said.

Ross observed Rydel with his brow furrowed "Sometimes I think there's too much coincidence around you, Rydel…" He said, with some slight suspicion about her going on "I met you once, I met and travelled with one of your friends who knew you, and then I met your Granddad on the day I stopped the Titanic…" He paused "then I met you again. In the whole wide universe, I met you for a second time," he said, taking a small pause again "it's like something's binding us together." He said pensively.

Rydel rolled her eyes "Don't be so daft. I'm nothing special."

"Yes, you are, you're brilliant." Ross said fondly.

Rydel smiled modestly at Ross as he said that, but she looked away from him when she remembered something…

More like… _someone_.

_Ratliff looked at her, giving her a smile "He thought you were brilliant." Ratliff said simply._

"He said that…" Rydel said, remembering him. But of course, not his name because he still never told her it.

Ross looked at Rydel from down at the beetle "Who did?" He asked confused.

"That guy…" Rydel then strained to remember who he was, but then just gave up sighing "I can't remember."

Ross laughed "Well, he never existed now." He joked. It was perfectly normal for Rydel not to remember people who she newly met in a Parallel World, especially with that bug thing on her back.

Something in Rydel was making her sense the importance of that guy she met in the Parallel World, she just felt the need to go on and talk about him to Ross and what he said to her "No, but he said… the stars… he said the stars are going out." She said.

"Yeah, but that worlds gone." Ross said, reassuring Rydel.

Rydel shook her head "No, but he said it was all worlds. Every world," She said slowly, things were coming back to her now about what had happened with the guy and what he said "he said the darkness is coming, even here."

For some reason, Ross found his attention caught by it "Who was he?" He asked.

Rydel shrugged "I don't know, he never told me his name."

Ross nodded, deciding to go with an easier option "What did he look like?" Ross asked.

"He…" Rydel said, looking up slightly to remember what he looked like, remembering a moment when he was scratching the back of his head nervously when he flew out of the alleyway. She looked back at Ross and shrugged "he had brown hair, hazel eyes," thought anybody could have brown hair and hazel eyes, so she might as well describe some easier details she can just remember about him "he reminded me of you a little bit by the way he spoke... and... and he said something about a friend called..." Rydel paused, trying to think of the name the guy had said when he flew out of the alleyway "'Ryan'... that's the name he said when he flew out of this alleyway."

Ross's eyes widened slightly, "What was his name?" Ross asked, quietly with great restraint.

"I don't know!"

"Rydel, what was his name?" Ross asked insistently, his voice trembling as he felt so many emotions right now he couldn't even comprehend. It couldn't have been him… could it?

Rydel then all of a sudden remembered something. She remembered him kneeling beside her on the road after she got hit by the lorry "But he told me… to warn you. He said… two words."

"What two words? What were they? What did he say?" Ross asked, his voice quiet, supressed with urgency and his voice slightly hollow. It came back to Rydel how the guy kneeled over her and whispered the two words into her ear. After a moment of trying to remember… the two words came to her.

"Bad Wolf."

Ross's eyes then widened completely this time as he began to shake, because now he knew for sure. "Well, what does it mean-?" Rydel asked, uncomprehendingly.

Before Rydel even got to finish it off, Ross had leapt to his feet and burst from the tent with one swift move, Rydel just chased after him as he looked like he was about to break down or something.

When Ross got outside of the tent, everywhere he looked, there were posters, banners, flags all saying "Bad Wolf" on them, printed all over and over again over the alleyway they were in. He ran up to the TARDIS, with Rydel behind him, where it only read "Bad Wolf" repeatedly on the writing of the door. He looked up at the glowing letters on the top of it where it was also proclaiming the foreboding words. He couldn't help but stare at the words in utmost shock before he wrenched the doors open.

As soon as they were both inside the TARDIS, they saw that the whole inside of it was flooded with a hellish red light. Rydel slammed the doors shut behind them, looking at Ross "Ross, what is it?" She asked, seeing Ross was breathing heavily as well as panicked "what's Bad Wolf?"

"It's the end of the Universe."

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**I think you guys are REALLY going to like the next few chapters... ;) **

**REMEMBER: There is a trailer for the next chapter of the story at the top of my profile under the name "The Stolen Earth Trailer" with a link to the video! PLEASE WATCH! :D**

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**(Preview) Next Time...**

Ross just pottered around the console, engrossed in pushing buttons and pulling levers. Rydel followed Ross around as he done so, trying to speak very carefully not to trigger anything with him "The thing is, Ross…" She said carefully and delicately "no matter what's happening – and I'm sure it's bad, I get that. But… Ratliff's coming back. Isn't that good?" Rydel asked.

Ross let Rydel's words go through his head and process for a couple minutes as he didn't react to what she had just said. He waited a couple of seconds before he looked up at Rydel and his eyes were practically shining stars "Yeah…" Ross whispered with a big smile.

Rydel smiled also, just before the TARDIS gave out an almighty crash and shudder which sent both Ross and Rydel to the floor. "What the _hell_ was that?!" Rydel asked, becoming alarmed before getting up off the floor.

"It came from outside!" Ross ran over to the doors and opened it.

Only to be faced with nothing but space, lumps of rock floating lazily around them. Ross regarded the view with some shock and Rydel joined him.

What the hell?

Did they move or something?

Or did the Earth just all of a sudden disappear?

Oh no.

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	41. The Stolen Earth: Bad Wolf

_TV screen_

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**_The Stolen Earth: Bad Wolf_**

The TARDIS materialised on the corner of a perfectly normal suburban street on Earth, where then Ross rushed out through the doorways of the TARDIS with the look of panic on his face and Rydel followed him close behind, where they took in their surroundings. Everything was fine. Earth was okay. There was nothing wrong with it, which was a relief "Its fine… everything's fine." Ross said. Even though Ross was making it seem like he was okay and less panicked, he really wasn't, he saw a milk-cart trundling down the road where it stopped a short distance away.

He still looked around for something that was out of the ordinary "Nothing's wrong, it's all fine!" he looked around once more before he called over to the milk man "Excuse me? What day is it?" Ross asked.

"Saturday." The Milk man called over.

"Saturday! Good!" Ross nodded to Rydel "Good, I like Saturdays."

Rydel nodded, deciding to take away from this really bad subject onto the subject that really didn't matter the most… but to Rydel it did matter the most even if Ross wouldn't admit it himself "So… I just met Ellington Ratliff, huh?" She asked, hoping he'd have some sort of good response out of it.

Ross continued to cast uneasy looks around as he spoke to Rydel, even though it wasn't much "Yeah…"

"But he's locked away in a Parallel World."

"Exactly," Ross said, turning around to Rydel and speaking quickly "if he can cross from his parallel world to your parallel world, then that means the walls of the universe are breaking down, which puts everything in danger. Everything. But how?" Ross hurried back into the TARDIS with Rydel following him.

The moment Ross and Rydel were inside the TARDIS, there was a tremor in the Earth that at first started to shake the milk bottles where the milk man regarded them which he thought was a little strange as he watched them disturbed. And all of a sudden they started smashing together, along with tiles slipping from the roofs of the houses, the milk man looked up to the sky.

Ross's severed hand that Riker gave him when they last met, which he kept underneath the console of the TARDIS in a jar, started to tremble slightly which nobody noticed. Ross just pottered around the console, engrossed in pushing buttons and pulling levers. Rydel followed Ross around as he done so, trying to speak very carefully not to trigger anything with him "The thing is, Ross…" She said carefully and delicately "no matter what's happening – and I'm sure it's bad, I get that. But… Ratliff's coming back. Isn't that good?" Rydel asked.

Ross let Rydel's words go through his head and process for a couple minutes as he didn't react to what she had just said. He waited a couple of seconds before he looked up at Rydel and his eyes were practically shining stars "Yeah…" Ross whispered with a big smile.

Rydel smiled also, just before the TARDIS gave out an almighty crash and shudder which sent both Ross and Rydel to the floor. "What the _hell_ was that?!" Rydel asked, becoming alarmed before getting up off the floor.

"It came from outside!" Ross ran over to the doors and opened it.

Only to be faced with nothing but space, lumps of rock floating lazily around them. Ross regarded the view with some shock and Rydel joined him.

What the hell?

Did they move or something?

Or did the Earth just all of a sudden disappear?

Oh no.

"We're in space…" Rydel said, completely bemused "how did that happened?" She asked "what did you do?" Rydel asked as her voice rose in fear.

Ross ran from the door back over to the console, leaving Rydel stood at the door, to look at the monitor. What he read on the monitor completely shocked him and only puzzled him further "We haven't moved," Ross said "it can't have… no…" Ross ran back over to the door where Rydel was, staring out utterly disconcerted "the TARDIS is still in the same place, but the Earth is gone. The entire planet… it's gone!"

**_FAR ACROSS THE UNIVERSE_**

**_New York City, Manhattan, America_**

Laura lied on the floor completely unconscious from the vicious shake the Earth had just caused, a couple feet away from her Rocky laid on the floor also who woke up. He took in his surroundings where everyone who was in the UNIT Manhattan Base was amidst broken, smoking wires, sparks and the shouts of frightened people, alarms and chaos. Rocky went over to Laura and shook her "Laura…" He said.

Laura opened up her eyes dazedly and lifted her head "What was that?" She asked as she could hear UNIT members saying stuff around the room to find out what was going on. She sat up from the floor, looking at Rocky "Was there some sort of earthquake or…?"

Rocky helped her up to the floor onto her feet, seeing the UNIT headquarters had been thrown into disarray. "Are you okay, Rocky?" Laura asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Rocky turned around "is anybody hurt?" He called across the room.

Laura looked around the room before crossing over to the window and pulling the blinds open. "We've lost power, someone get the lights back on!" Rocky ordered, seeing all the lights in the room and building had been put out from the shake, he looked over at a man "DeCosta, see to it right now!" He ordered him, Rocky turned around where he spotted Laura at the window "Laura? Are you okay?"

Laura's eyes just stayed widened as she looked out the window and Rocky looked at her with concern "Look at the sky, Rocky…" Laura said.

"Why, what is it?" Rocky asked, even though he wasn't looking out he was focusing on Laura more.

"Just look at the sky!" Laura said insistently.

**_Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom_**

Like the UNIT base in New York, the Torchwood team had been thrown into turmoil by the tremor, or whatever it was that caused the shake. Papers were scattered everywhere, equipment was smashed and rubble fell from the ceiling. Whilst the rubble fell from the ceiling, Riker did his best to clamber to his feet "Whoa! What happened? Must be the rift…" Riker ran from his office, yelling "Gwen? Ianto? Are you both okay?" He asked, seen as though it was only them three in the Torchwood tower.

Gwen and Ianto were both in an untidy pile on the floor amidst the mess as Riker came in and saw them. Ianto got up off the floor as he spoke "No broken bones… slight loss of dignity. No change there, then."

Gwen then got up to her feet, shocked from the horrible violent shake "The whole city must've felt that! The whole of South Wales!"

"I'm gonna take a look outside…" Riker said.

The alarms sounded throughout the whole tower whilst the doors rolled open for Riker as he sprinted out, Gwen and Ianto went to the computer where Ianto pressed a few buttons "Little bit bigger than South Wales…" Ianto said as he stared at the screen in disbelief.

**_Ealing, London_**

Maia had also been thrown to the floor in her attic which had been also turned upside down by the tremor. She scrambled to her feet "Luke?! Are you alright?" She asked.

She ran over to where Luke was crouched in a corner and pulled him to his feet, feeling his face as if making sure he's in one piece. "Felt like some sort of cross-dimensional spatial transference." Luke said.

Maia looked out of the window where she noticed the darkness through the morning, which was weird and very out of the ordinary "Its night. It wasn't night! It was eight o'clock in the morning!" she turned around "Mr Smith, I need you!"

The chimney she looked over at breasted open with triumphant introductory music as the computer, Mr Smith, was revealed. Maia rolled her eyes "I wish you'd stop giving me that fanfare and just tell me what happened!"

"Maia, I think you should look outside. I think you'll find the visual evidence most conclusive." Mr Smith said.

Maia then ran from the computer and over to the window.

**_Chiswick, London_**

Wilf and Sylvia both stood outside in the middle of the street looking around, whilst Wilf held a rounder's bat "It's gone dark… it's them aliens, I'll bet my pension," Wilf then started yelling to no one in particular "What do you want this time, you green swine?!"

Meanwhile, Sylvia just gazed at the sky with her mouth open "Dad…"

"You get back inside, Sylvia. They always want the women!"

"No, Dad, just look…" Sylvia panicked "oh, my god! Look at the sky!"

Wilf followed Sylvia's gaze skywards and clutched at her hand in horror when he saw what she was seeing.

Back with Maia, her and Luke stared up at the sky "That's impossible!" Maia said in some sort of protest.

"That's just impossible…" Riker whispered as he stared up at the sky.

Rocky and Laura, with the rest of the UNIT staff, were crowded around the window, just staring up at the heavens. "It can't be…" Laura said as her voice broke.

The milk man stood on the same street where Ross and Rydel use to be, where it had been a sunny day only a moment ago. He was also stood frozen, looking at the sky.

A wind then started to billow him, as he became aware of the disturbance behind him, he turned around at the buzzing of electricity and a flash of blue light where Ratliff appeared out of nowhere once more, holding an enormous gun that was going to really help in this situation. Ratliff looked up to the sky of the Earth, the regular Earth in which he hasn't properly been on since Canary Wharf, and didn't seem remotely surprised what so ever at what he saw.

"Right, now we're in trouble," He said, releasing the safety catch on the gun "it's only just beginning…"

In the, now, night sky somehow it was packed with many planets, which were so close together, too close… surrounded by beautiful yet sinister light.

The Earth wasn't where it used to be anymore, it was officially in a completely different galaxy.

Rydel moved around the console with her eyes wide in horror as many thoughts were running through her mind "But… if the Earth's been moved… they've lost the sun" Rydel said slowly. Rydel turned to Ross urgently who was immersed in the computer "What about my Mom? And my Granddad? They're dead? Aren't they? Are they dead?"

"I don't know, Rydel…" Ross said, for once in his life completely helpless "I just don't know. I'm sorry. I don't know." He was completely helpless and felt that way too. For once, he didn't know what to do or get the planet back… OR find it.

All of a sudden, the horrible dawning or realisation dawned on Rydel harshly "That's my family. My whole world."

"There's no readings, nothing," Ross said, completely stumped "not a trace. Not even a whisper. Oh that is…" he straightened up and scratched the back of his neck "fearsome technology."

"So, what do we do?" Rydel asked, her voice trembling.

Ross just stared blankly ahead of him "We've got to get help."

"From where?"

"Rydel… I'm taking you to the Shadow Proclamation. Hold tight." Ross pulled a lever and the rota began to rise and fall.

Ianto kept on flicking through all the channels on the TV screen, first it was the AMNN News channel where the headline read **_"WORLDWIDE EMERGANCEY, PLANETS APPEAR IN SKIES!" _**he changed the channel over again where a programme called "Universally Speaking" was on, after watching that for a couple of seconds he changed the channel where it was the "Paul O'Grady Show". Ianto just burst out laughing at a comment that was made about this whole conversation on the TV Show.

Hearing Ianto laugh, Riker looked over at him from where he was standing in front of another computer "Ianto!" He said, reprimanding "there's a time and a place."

Ianto turned off the monitor, still chortling "He is funny, though."

"Gwen, come and see!" Riker called. Gwen made her way down the stairs, and over to Riker who was still on the monitor explaining to them all "Someone's established an artificial atmospheric shell keeping the air and holding in the heat."

"Whoever's done this wants the human race alive. That's a plus." Ianto said.

The three of them were now gathered around a computer, watching a 3D diagrammatic representation of the 26 planets surrounding Earth, which had obviously been stolen from somewhere else "Twenty-seven planets, including the Earth…" Ianto said.

A flashing red spot of light all of a sudden became visible amongst the planet just on the outside of it "No, but what's that?" Gwen asked, uneasily "that's not a planet!"

In Maia's attic of the house, Mr Smith – the computer – was displaying a similar model to Torchwood, again with the flashing red light just outside of the Earth "The reading seems to be artificial in construction."

Maia looked at the red flash and the rest of the screen as she tried to make sense of this whole thing "Some sort of space-station, sitting in the heart of the web." Maia rubbed Luke's shoulder encouragingly as he walked over, just getting off the phone with his friends to make sure they were okay. And they were.

"Maia, I have detected movement. Observe." Mr Smith said.

The red light on the screen expanded, now looking like a pulsating sheet blanketing the Earth "Spaceship!" Luke grinned excitedly at Maia who could only muster a nervous smile in return.

General Sanchez marched into the busy control room where everyone was, including Rocky and Laura, as he spoke "Tracking two-hundred objects, earthbound trajectory. Geneva is calling a Code Red. Everyone to battle requirements," Sanchez looked over to Rocky and Laura who appeared to be on a phone "Doctor Lynch, Doctor Marano, if you're not too busy?"

Rocky looked over at General Sanchez "We're trying to call Ross, sir." He said.

"And?"

"There's no signal," Laura said, keeping the phone to her ear "this number calls anywhere in the universe. It never breaks down. They must be blocking it," Laura looked up at the screen on the wall where it displayed the twenty-six planets and the red flashing light, which signalled who the enemy were obviously "whoever 'they' are."

"We're about to find out. They're coming into orbit."

Absolute anarchy took place on the street Ratliff was walking down on, people screaming, running, looting, glass smashing, alarms speeding, a car speeding along with a man hanging out of the sunroof clutching to a beer and shouting to passers-by. Ratliff just emerged from an alleyway as he witnessed this, still holding the gun he had. He made his way slowly down the street where a man, obviously drunk, spotted Ratliff and threw his arms wide "The end of the world, darling!" He slurred with mad delight "the end of the stinking world!"

Ratliff nodded, giving him a sort of sarcastic enthusiastic smile "Have one on me mate…" he said.

The man moved on from Ratliff as he jumped and turned around as heard a window smash behind him, another alarm being set off. He walked over to the store where the window had broken, an electronics store, where two youths were looting, Ratliff just walked in with his gun and stood in the doorway "Right! You two!" Ratliff said, rather intimidating to them both. "You can put that stuff down, or run for your lives," he released the safety catch on the gun "do you like my gun?" He asked, lifting it a little as if he was going to aim it at them.

The two men looked at Ratliff's gun where they then immediately dropped everything they had in their hands and ran for it. When they were gone, Ratliff sat down at a computer and worriedly watched the spaceships surround the Earth from it after a few taps on the keyboard.

The spaceships loomed even closer on the model on the computer screen as Riker, Ianto and Gwen watched. "Three thousand miles and closing," Gwen said, becoming agitated "but who are they?!"

Riker's phone then started ringing in his pocket. He quickly took it out of it and looked at the caller ID, flipping the phone open and putting it to his ear "Laura Marano! Voice of a nightingale," Riker said brightly, he then sighed "please tell me Rocky put something in my drink."

Laura let out a small laugh, even though she was sat at her desk slightly breathless as Rocky listened in on the conversation next to her "I wish," Laura said "have you heard from Ross?"

"Not a word. Where are you?"

"New York."

"Hm, nice for some."

Laura rose from her seat and walked across the office, with Rocky following close behind "We've been promoted. Medical Directors on Project Indigo."

Riker nodded "Did you get that _thing_ working?" He asked.

Laura's brows furrowed "Indigo's top secret. No one's supposed to know about it."

Riker shrugged "Oh, I met a solider in a bar. Long story."

Ianto then interjected Riker on the phone, becoming suspicious "When was that?"

"Strictly professional." Riker said reassuringly.

Gwen just kept her eyes glued onto the monitor, seeing where these spaceships were coming from and house close they were to Earth "Fifteen-hundred miles, boys, and accelerating. They're almost here."

Back in Maia's attic as they were trying to figure out about the spaceships, Mr Smith started speaking "I'm receiving a communication from the earthbound ships. A message for the human race." Mr Smith said.

"Put it through…" Maia said apprehensively "let's hear it." She waited a couple of seconds before Mr Smith put the message through for everyone to hear.

_"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"_

Maia's eyes widened.

Riker opened his mouth to say something, but then he heard something coming through the speakers of the Torchwood Tower. _"Exterminate!"_

_"Exterminate!"_

Rocky lifted up his head from looking down at the sound of the voice coming through the whole of UNIT Base with the look of panic on his face, Laura heard it too where her eyes widened _"Exterminate!"_

"No." Riker said with disbelief and some sort of fear in his voice.

_"Exterminate!"_

Riker's voice trembled "Oh, no!"

"What is it?" Gwen asked, also becoming panicked even though she didn't know who it was that was saying this, she just knew it was bad from by the way Riker was looking and talking "who are you? Do you them, Riker?"

Riker made no answer but to pull Ianto and Gwen closer to him, kissing both their heads in a turn.

_"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"_

Luke's brow furrowed in confusion, but Maia was shaking with terror with silent tears streaming down her cheeks "No…" She whispered.

_"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"_

Riker held onto Ianto and Gwen tight, looking hopelessly as his eyes riveted to the monitor "There's nothing I can…" he said "I'm sorry… but… we're dead." Riker's voice broke.

_"Exterminate! Exterminate!"_

Maia clutched onto Luke sobbing "Oh, God you're—you're so young." She hugged him tightly as she started to sob harder.

Ratliff just stared at the computer screen as he was also picking up the transmission _"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"_

Ratliff listened as they continued to repeatedly say that where he trembled ever so slightly, but with fear, not shock; remembering the last time he faced Dalek's and what happened. As he felt his breathing becoming slightly heavier than normal, Ratliff got up from where he sat and strode purposefully onto the street.

When Ratliff got out of the store, he looked up to the sky where a Dalek ship flew so low that it practically skimmed the rooftops, firing missiles down into the crowded streets. Ratliff turned around and walked away where a missile stroke behind him and cause an enormous explosion, he didn't move an inch.

He had bigger things to worry about than explosions.

The Dalek's had captured the Earth. Which meant, everyone was doomed and there was more than likely no means of escape to anybody living on this damned Earth.

Though, Ratliff guessed he was afraid because people were obviously going to die trying to save the world from the Dalek's killing everyone.

This was officially war.

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***ducks from thrown objects* I'll be doing the same (ducking from thrown objects) in about 2 or 3 chapters time... I know I will be. But... on the bright side... everyone who's ever been in the story, or mentioned in it (Maia), is back in it for good basically... Well.. not FOR good.. but they're back... and will be for a very long time... hehe? **

**I won't be surprised if you guys actually start a mob to track me down and kill me, I swear.**

**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**

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**(Preview) Next Time...**

The clicking sound started once more again. The clicking sound from the beetle that Rydel once had on her back, the Albino Servant just stared at Rydel "You had something on your back." She said.

Rydel looked up at the servant in alarm "How do you know that?" She asked.

"You are something new."

Rydel shook her head, looking away. She was sick of people telling her how special she was and how great and grand she was when she was completely nothing at all. Nothing. Nada. "Not me. I'm just a temp," Rydel said "short hand, filling, a hundred words per minute. Fat lot of good that is now," she sighed "I'm no use to anyone."

The Albino Servant frowned at Rydel "I'm so sorry for your loss."

"Yeah. My whole planets gone." Rydel said numbly.

"I meant the loss that is yet to come." The Albino servant whispered, as though she was imparting a deadly secret.

Rydel stared at the servant petrified. What did she mean by 'the loss that is yet to come?' Was she going to lose someone or something? The servant left Rydel sitting on the stairs, Rydel's gaze automatically fell onto Ross as if something was controlling her too. Her eyes widened.

No way.

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	42. The Stolen Earth The Shadow Proclamation

**_Seriously. There's 13 people following the fucking story WHY CAN'T YOU ALL FUCKING REVIEW AND TELL ME YOUR OPINIONS. It's not gonna hurt taking 30 seconds of your time to review, is it? NO._**

**_God sake, I hate starting out chapters like this -_-_**

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**_The Stolen Earth: The Shadow Proclamation_**

"Battle positions!" General Sanchez called as everyone was running around in panic and manically as the Dalek's continued to descend onto Earth and shoot "Geneva declaring ultimate Code Red. Ladies and Gentlemen, we are at war."

The staff who were in the room were all thrown to the floor and flung around the room like rag dolls from the force of explosions around them, the air thick with sparks. Rocky ran over to the nearest window, breathing heavily, as he watched the Dalek ships gliding over New York, firing missiles relentlessly as they go.

The TARDIS shook violently while Ross and Rydel held onto the console for support, Ross trying to operate the controls with one hand as it done so. "So, go on then – what is the Shadow Proclamation, anyway?" Rydel asked.

"Posh name for 'police'. Outer Space police," Ross told her "here we go!" The TARDIS gave an almighty lurch which sent Ross flat on his back across the console.

The TARDIS hurtled towards a space station which was covered with what looked like buildings glowing a greenish light.

Finally it materialised near a set of stairs in the Shadow Proclamation Headquarters. Ross emerged from the TARDIS cautiously, where he and Rydel were greeted by a group of armed Judoon who immediately pointed their guns at them. The two of them raised their hands in surrender. It had been a while since Ross had seen the Judoon, last time he seen them was when he first met Rocky and Laura.

And he's really starting to wonder now why Laura hasn't tried to ring him or Rocky, seen as though he gave them that phone that can get in touch with him wherever they are in the universe.

"Sco po tro no flow jo ko fo to to." One of the Judoon spoke.

"No bo ho so ko ro toe so." Ross said back to it. Rydel looked sideways at Ross with a 'what the hell?!' kind of look. "Bo-ko-do-zo-go-bo-fo-po-jo!" Ross said quickly, which seemed to work and the Judoon lowered their guns "ma ho."

Minutes later Ross and Rydel found themselves speaking to the Shadow Architect in a room that was guarded around the perimeter by the Judoon. The woman they were talking too had very pale skin, red eyes like an albino and yellowish-white hair "Time Lords are the stuff of legend. They belong in the myths and whispers of the Higher Species. You cannot possibly exist." She said sceptically.

"Yeah… more to the point," Ross said, distracting her from that and onto the actual main subject "I've got a missing planet."

"Then, you're not as wise as the stories would say. The picture is far bigger than you imagine. The whole universe is in outrage, Ross – twenty-four worlds have been taken from the sky."

"How many?!" Ross asked, incredulously "which ones? Show me!"

Ross ran over to the computer where the Shadow Architect showed him "The locations range far and wide. They all disappeared at the exact same moment, leaving no trace." She said.

Ross watched as the names of the planets flashed into the screen, brow furrowed "Callufrax Minor, Jahoo, Shallacatop, Woman Wept, Clom – Clom's gone?! Who'd want Clom!?"

"All different sized. Some populated, some not, but all unconnected."

"What about Pyrovillia?" Rydel asked.

The Shadow Architect looked at Rydel, looking her up and down before looking back at Ross "Who is the female?" She asked.

Rydel glared at the woman/alien thing in front of her "Rydel. I'm a Human Being. Maybe not the stuff of legend, but every bit as important as Time Lords, thank you." Rydel said, completely not liking the woman's tone what so ever and obviously showing it. Ross just smiled at Rydel, almost proudly. She then turned to Ross "Way back when we were in Pompeii, Lucius said Pyrovillia had gone missing." Rydel said.

"Pyrovillia is cold case. Not relevant." A Judoon said.

"How do you mean, 'cold case'?"

"The planet Pyrovillia cannot be part of this, it disappeared over two thousand years ago." The Shadow Architect said.

Rydel nodded "Yes, yes. Hang on. But there's the Adipose breeding planet too," Rydel said, looking over at Ross "Miss Foster said that was lost. But… that must've been a long time ago."

All of a sudden it hit Ross "That's it! Rydel, brilliant! The planets have been taken out of time as well as space," he then started to tamper with the computer "let's put this into 3D," holograms of the missing planets appeared throughout the room "now, we add Pyrovillia…" he added Pyrovillia which appeared "and Adipose 3," he pressed a button and Adipose 3 appeared. He then mused "There's something missing. Where else, where else, where else, lost, lost, lost, lost..? OH! The Lost Moon of Poosh!"

Ross added the Lost Moon of Poosh and walked amongst the hologram planets which rearranged themselves. The Shadow Architect looked in confusion at the planets and at Ross "What did you do?" She asked.

"Nothing. The planets rearranged themselves into optimum pattern," He said, looking up at them "oh… look at that. Twenty-seven planets in perfect balance. Come on, that is gorgeous!" He said appreciatively.

"Oi!" Rydel said, snapping Ross out of his little trance "don't get all spaceman, what does it mean?"

Ross stood by Rydel as they watched the holograms "All those worlds fit together like pieces of an engine. It's like a power house," Ross explained to Rydel, as well as for anybody else that was in the room and didn't know what Ross meant "but what for..?" Ross asked himself, puzzled. Showing it on his face as well.

"Who could design such a thing?" The Shadow Architect asked.

"Someone tried to move the Earth once before. A long time ago…" Ross said, getting lost deep in thought. "It can't be…" Ross almost whispered, still puzzled.

Riker rushed over to a computer as an alarm sounded and a voice filtered through the communications saying: _"The shields are down! There's so many of them! Abandon ship!"_

"The Valliant's down!" Riker said in horror. No matter how hard Riker and everyone else was trying, nothing was working. The Dalek's just kept on killing and destroying.

Right now they were losing and the Dalek's were winning.

"Air force retreating over North Africa!" Ianto said from over by another computer over to Riker "Dalek's landing in Japan."

Gwen sighed frustratingly as she was monitoring by another computer "We've lost contact with the Prime Minister's plane," she looked over at Riker "Riker! Manhattan!" She said urgently, for Rocky and Laura's sake.

Riker grabbed his phone quickly and put it to his ear, seen as though he hadn't hung up on them both "Rocky, Laura, get out of there!" He said.

Laura was seeing to someone on the floor that was hurt whilst Rocky had the Bluetooth piece in his ear talking to Riker, even though Laura did as well so she could join in on the three way conversation. As Rocky spoke to Riker, he wrapped a bandage around someone's head "We can't, Riker," Rocky said, finishing it off "we've got a job to do!"

"They're targeting military bases," Riker said, trying his god damn best to get them both out of there "and you're next on the list!"

General Sanchez stood behind Rocky "Doctor Lynch – you will come with me. Project Indigo has been activated, you too Doctor Marano," He said, causing Rocky and Laura to stop in their tracks and look up at him stunned "Quick march."

General Sanchez led them both, and another UNIT Solider, through a set of double doors and down a corridor at a brisk wall. As they were being led to Project Indigo, Laura and Rocky were both doing their best to reason with him "But we can't use Project Indigo," Laura said "it hasn't been tested, sir, we don't even know if it works!"

The UNIT solider turned a wheel which opened up some kind of secure storage safe, General Sanchez gestured to a body pack that was hanging on the wall "both of you put it on. As fast you can." He said to Laura.

Both Rocky and Laura moved over to it, but Rocky paused when he heard Riker's voice through the phone. "Rocky, Laura, I'm telling you – don't use Project Indigo, it's not safe!" Riker said frantically.

"You take your orders from UNIT Doctor Lynch, not from Torchwood." General Sanchez said warningly to him.

Rocky put on the body-pack, holding onto Laura closely to him to make sure she was attached to the body-pack as well as him because there was no way he was going to leave without her and leave her behind to get slaughtered by the Dalek's. As Rocky was attaching Laura to the body-pack with him, she looked to General Sanchez "But why us?" Laura asked.

"You two are our only hope of finding Ross," Sanchez said, then he sighed "it's why I chose the both of you because I've got two jobs for each of you. Rocky, you go looking for Ross. Laura…" Sanchez paused "if Rocky fails that… if no help is coming… then by the power invested in my by the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, I authorise you to take this," Sanchez offered Laura what appeared to be a digital microchip of some kind, encased in plastic "The Osterhagen Key."

Laura shook her head, whispering fearfully "I can't take that, sir."

"You know what to do," Sanchez said, brandishing it at her insistently "for the sake of the Human Race." He then closed Laura's unwilling fingers around it as the sound of Dalek's death ray's made the three of them turn around.

"Dalek's one five breaching north corridor. Exterminate! Exterminate, exterminate!"

"Doctor Lynch, Marano," Sanchez said, saluting them both "good luck." He turned from the both of them where he and the UNIT solider faced the approaching Dalek's head on, firing at them. "Exterminate!"

"Bye, Riker." Rocky said in a small voice.

"Rocky, don't do it!" Riker yelled through the phone as loud as he could.

But it was too late, with his and Laura's eyes tightly closed, Rocky pulled the chords either side of the body-pack where he and Laura disappeared into a blue light.

"DON'T!" Riker shouted, but it was too late as the line had gone dead. Riker lowered the phone from his ear staring at it before he kicked the desk in sheer rage and frustration, causing Gwen to flinch.

Ianto watched Riker as he witnessed this "What's Project Indigo?" He asked.

Riker exhaled, trying his very best and hard to keep it together "Experimental teleport salvaged from the Sontaran's. But they haven't got co-ordinates or stabilisation!"

"Where are they?" Gwen asked.

"Scattered into atoms." Riker said, in frustration as he rubbed his face.

Gwen stared at Riker in horror.

"Rocky and Laura are down and dead."

Ross and the Shadow Architect were by the computer, clearly at loss for now at what to do while Rydel was sitting on the glass stairs nearby. She wiped a tear away that was falling from her eyes, and then stared straight ahead for a long moment, pale faced with every sound she could hear blocked out… except for the sound of a heartbeat.

A heartbeat which wasn't hers. That's what scared her.

Rydel flinched as an albino servant held up a cup and saucer out to her "You need sustenance. Take the water, it purifies." The Albino Servant said.

"Thanks." Rydel said dully.

The clicking sound started once more again. The clicking sound from the beetle that Rydel once had on her back, the Albino Servant just stared at Rydel "You had something on your back." She said.

Rydel looked up at the servant in alarm "How do you know that?" She asked.

"You are something new."

Rydel shook her head, looking away. She was sick of people telling her how special she was and how great and grand she was when she was completely nothing at all. Nothing. Nada. "Not me. I'm just a temp," Rydel said "short hand, filling, a hundred words per minute. Fat lot of good that is now," she sighed "I'm no use to anyone."

The Albino Servant frowned at Rydel "I'm so sorry for your loss."

"Yeah. My whole planets gone." Rydel said numbly.

"I meant the loss that is yet to come." The Albino servant whispered, as though she was imparting a deadly secret.

Rydel stared at the servant petrified. What did she mean by 'the loss that is yet to come?' Was she going to lose someone or something? The servant left Rydel sitting on the stairs, Rydel's gaze automatically fell onto Ross as if something was controlling her too. Her eyes widened.

No way.

Ross walked over to Rydel and leant on the banister on the stairs beside her "Rydel, come on, think. Earth. There must've been some sort of warning," He said, still trying to figure out this whole situation and mess out "was there anything happening back in your day, like… electrical storms, freak weather, patterns in the sky?" Ross asked.

"Well, how should I know?" Rydel asked, clearly not in the mood for any of this after the Earth disappearing and what that Albino Servant just hinted at to her.

Ross sighed, straightening up "Oh, okay. Never mind."

"Although… there was the bees disappearing."

Ross looked at Rydel as if she was losing the plot "The bees disappearing. The BEES disappearing?" Ross said sarcastically, making Rydel fall silent, a little hurt by how Ross was thinking she was stupid at that moment. All of a sudden, realisation started dawning on him "The bees disappeared!" Ross yelled, running over to a computer.

"How is that significant?" The Shadow Architect asked.

Rydel rushed from the stairs and joined them both over at the computer "On Earth, we have these insects. Some people said it was pollution or mobile phone signals."

"Or… they were going back home." Ross said as he went through the computer "the planet Melissa Majoria."

Rydel cocked her head "Are you saying bees are aliens?"

"Don't be so daft," Ross said "not all of them. But, if the migrant bees felt something, some sort of danger, and escaped… Tandocca!"

Finally, the Shadow Architect began to understand was Ross was yattering on about "The Tandocca Scale."

As usual, Ross started jabbering at top speed about the scale "The Tandocca scale is a series of wavelengths used as carrier signals by migrant bees. Infinitely small, no wonder we didn't see it. It's like looking for a speck of cinnamon in the Sahara. But look!" He pointed to the screen excitedly "there is it! The Tandocca trail," and on the screen there was a trail of blue light "the transmit that moved the planets was using the same wavelength! We can follow the path!"

By this point, Rydel was already half way to the TARDIS "And find the Earth! Well, stop talking and do it!" She said, finally getting happy and forgetting about all she'd been told by the Albino servant.

Ross was hot on Rydel's trail "I am!" Ross went through the TARDIS doors and darted to the console's monitor "We're a bit late. The signal's scattered, but's a start!" He ran over to the door and poked his head out to the waiting Shadow Architect and Judoon "I've got a blip! It's just a blip, but it's definitely a blip."

"Then according to the strictures of the Shadow Proclamation, I will have to seize your transport and your technology." The Shadow Architect said.

"Oh, really? What for?" Ross asked, who was rather taken-aback.

"The planets were stolen with hostile intent. We are declaring war, Ross! Right across the universe! And _you_ will lead us into battle!"

Ross was clearly not crazy about the idea by the way he was looking "Right. Yes. Course I will. Just go and… get you a key."

Ross sidled back into the TARDIS – and of course, he had absolutely no intention of coming back out when the doors slammed shut and locked on the TARDIS. He joined Rydel at the console, threw her a cheeky, wild smile as he pulled a lever, making the TARDIS start to dematerialise.

The Shadow Architect started shouting ineffectually at the TARDIS that was disappearing in front of her and the Judoon "Ross, come back! By the Holy Writ of the Shadow Proclamation, I order you to stop!"

Wilf and Sylvia watched and peering cautiously from around the side of a house, as three Dalek's on the street started ordering people to leave their homes and gather outside with their hands behind their backs. They watched as a man refused a man and his family to go with them. Sylvia kept on tapping Wilf's back "Dad, please, come home, they're leaving our street alone." Sylvia implored to him.

"Yeah, I've got a weapon." Wilf said, holding up a paint gun.

"It's a paint-gun." Sylvia said, unconvinced.

"Exactly. Those Dalek things, they've only got one eye. A good splodge of paint, they'd be blinded!"

Once again, they returned their vision back to the man still refusing his family to go with them to the spaceships. He made his wife and his little boy go back inside the house, the man lobbed a brick at the Dalek but it didn't work and caused no damage. It only made the Dalek's advance dangerously and the man scarper back into the house, the three Dalek's lined up outside the house and shot at a different window of the house, making the whole building go up in flames.

"They're monsters." Wilf said numbly.

Sylvia then tugged at Wilf terrified "Please, Dad, come home."

With a small yelp, Wilf allowed her to pull him away. They hurried around the back of the house, but to no avail – they were stopped by a lone Dalek coming down the street about a metre or two in front of them. "Halt! You will come with me." The Dalek said.

"Will I, heck!" Wilf aimed the paint-gun at the Dalek and fired, hitting it straight in its eye piece with a splodge of yellow paint and a wet splat.

For a moment, it looked like it had worked – but the paint then just boiled away "My vision is NOT impaired." The Dalek said.

"I warned you, Dad!" Sylvia said, hiding behind him petrified.

"Hostility will not be tolerated! Exterminate! Exterminate! Extermin-!"

Suddenly, the whole top of the Dalek was blown off and was left a smouldering wreck. Behind it, Ratliff was stood there standing behind it with the massive gun in his hand. "Do wanna swap?" Wilf asked, holding out the paint-gun, seeing Ratliff stood there.

Ratliff walked round the now wrecked Dalek and towards Sylvia and Wilf "You're Rydel Lynch's family, right?" He asked, Wilf nodded "I'm Ellington Ratliff, and I need you."

* * *

In Rydel's house, Wilf, Sylvia and Ratliff had got back there after Ratliff had just blown the top part of the Dalek off. Sylvia was in the kitchen making a drink whilst Wilf was talking to Ratliff about Rydel and her whereabouts as well as Ross's "I tried calling her, but I can't get through. She's still with Ross, I know that much, and the – and the last she phoned, it—it was from a planet called Midnight, made of diamonds."

Sylvia then came walking out the kitchen, overhearing all this with some drinks in her hands "What the hell are you two on about?" She asked.

Wilf looked up at Sylvia "Look, she's out there, sweetheart! Your daughter! She's travelling the stars with that Ross. She always has been."

"Don't be ridiculous." Sylvia said as if her dear old Dad had gone mad.

"Oh, come on, open your eyes!" Wilf spoke angry at her with narrow-mindedness "look at the sky. Look at the – look at the Dalek's! You can't start denying things now!"

"You're my last hope," Ratliff said, dejectedly "if we can't find Rydel… we can't find Ross," he sighed, becoming agitated and speaking to himself almost "where is he..?"

The rota of the TARDIS rose and fell whilst Ross and Rydel held onto the console for support so they could stand up straight and not be thrown around, when all of a sudden the whole TARDIS just stopped dead. "It's stopped…" Ross said, looking around, even though the TARIDS was still up with power… just not moving.

"What do you mean?" Rydel asked, looking at him "is that good or bad? Where are we?"

Ross observed the monitor "The Medusa Cascade."

The TARDIS drifted lazily through the Medusa Cascade, but that was it. It didn't even dare to go through it, it was just there… stopped. "I came here when I was just a kid," Ross said, reminiscently "ninety years old. It was the centre of a rift in time and space."

Rydel looked at the monitor also, even though she couldn't read a single thing that was on the screen "So… where are the twenty-seven planets?" Rydel asked, slowly turning her head to Ross.

"Nowhere," Ross said, quietly "the Tandocca trail stops dead," he rested his head against a support "end of the line."

Rydel swallowed nervously, but not without faith "So, what do we do? Ross? What do we do?" She asked, becoming slightly panicked. Ross said absolutely nothing to Rydel, he merely continued on watching the screen, with an air of defeat for once. Rydel looked at Ross shocked "Don't do this to me," Rydel said pleadingly "no, don't. Don't do this to me. Not now," she shook her head in denial "tell me what we're going to do!" She said urgently.

Still, Ross said nothing. His wordlessness, his uncharacteristic hopelessness scared Rydel more than anything. Her voice shook in fear "You never give up! Please!" She begged. Ross still said nothing. Rydel put one hand over her mouth, and then the other.

Gwen sat on the sofa in the Torchwood tower, just waiting. She didn't know what for. She was just waiting. A transmission then started to filter through over the screeches from the Dalek's above them and people panicking and screaming etc. The transmission said: _"This is the Commander General of the United Nations calling the Dalek fleet. We surrender. Repeat: we surrender."_

Ianto put down a tray of coffee on the nearest empty table and fell into chair giving in himself when the commander spoke through. _"Planet Earth surrenders." _

Riker just sat on the floor with his back against the wall with his knees drawn up as he clutched onto his phone where he once spoke to Rocky and Laura for the very last time and now they were gone and dead. Dalek's started speaking from up above: _"Humans selected for testing will follow Dalek instructions." _

Maia sat down in the attic of her house with her arms around Luke in the corner of the room as the Dalek's continued to speak through the transmission: _"The Dalek's reign supreme. All hail the Dalek's!"_

A shuddering breath escaped Maia's mouth as she closed her eyes in despair.

It was over.

And not in the good way everyone had hoped for.

They lost and the Dalek's had won.

**Next: **The Stolen Earth: The Subwave Network

**Then: **The Stolen Earth: Davros

* * *

**I should just permanently duck from thrown objects because lets face it, if I knew you all in real life I'd be dead. Haha. **

**as for happy endings as for as this story goes, right now it's not looking good... but hey. Since when have stories with happy endings ever been good and interesting? **

**I'd say this story's gonna have a bitter sweet ending... I mean, that's okay right?**

**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**

* * *

**(preview) Next time...**

In the living room of the Lynch's house, Wilf had his arms around Sylvia as they sat huddled up together on the sofa, whilst Ratliff just sat on a stool by a laptop with his head in his hand and his arm resting on his knee for support as he looked fed up, depressed and like he could lose it at any moment. As Sylvia started to cry quietly, Wilf kissed her forehead.

From outside, the Dalek's still continued to talk: _"You will obey Dalek instruction without question. You will obey your Dalek ma—"_

The Dalek was then cut off by a loud beeping sound, Ratliff and Wilf looked around to see what had caused the sound – seeing the laptop had sprung to life behind Ratliff, which was displaying white noise and a familiar voice straining to get through "Can anybody hear me? The subwave network is open, you should be able to hear my voice…" The female spoke, Ratliff looked at the laptop in surprise as he sat at it, listening closer to the voice as he was pretty sure he could recognise it "is anybody there?"

Ratliff's eyes widened "I know that voice!" He kneeled in front of the laptop eagerly.

**Kin****d of a boring preview, but that's all I could ****put without giving anything away :)**

**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**


	43. The Stolen Earth: The Subwave Network

**_I am SO SORRY I never updated yesterday! I was at the R5 show in Manchester! It was so awesome, I met them! cx I stood in between Ross and Ratliff for the VIP photo so... I was in a Rosslington sandwich... no big deal... Actually, I lie... BIG FUCKING DEAL. I was gonna ask about Rosslington, but Rydel never picked me grr. Oh well, there's always next time and for someone else to ask, isn't there? :)_**

**_Anyway, onto the story!_**

**_The Stolen Earth: The Subwave Network_**

In the living room of the Lynch's house, Wilf had his arms around Sylvia as they sat huddled up together on the sofa, whilst Ratliff just sat on a stool by a laptop with his head in his hand and his arm resting on his knee for support as he looked fed up, depressed and like he could lose it at any moment. As Sylvia started to cry quietly, Wilf kissed her forehead.

From outside, the Dalek's still continued to talk: _"You will obey Dalek instruction without question. You will obey your Dalek ma—" _

The Dalek was then cut off by a loud beeping sound, Ratliff and Wilf looked around to see what had caused the sound – seeing the laptop had sprung to life behind Ratliff, which was displaying white noise and a familiar voice straining to get through "Can anybody hear me? The subwave network is open, you should be able to hear my voice…" The female spoke, Ratliff looked at the laptop in surprise as he sat at it, listening closer to the voice as he was pretty sure he could recognise it "is anybody there?"

Ratliff's eyes widened "I know that voice!" He kneeled in front of the laptop eagerly.

Luke looked up slightly as he could hear the females voice coming through "Who's that?" he asked.

Maia sighed "Some poor soul calling for help," She said, completely helpless "there's nothing we can do."

"But look at Mr Smith!"

"Processing incoming subwave." Mr Smith said. On the screen, it displayed the vague outline of a girl who looked about 20 – say about Ratliff's age – buried in white noise.

Gwen jumped to her feet, also having heard the female's voice who continued to talk "This message is of the utmost importance. We haven't much time. Can anybody hear me?"

Gwen stood at the computer that was also displaying a white noise "Someone's trying to get in touch."

Riker sighed as he was still sat on the floor against a wall, his head resting on the wall and his hand running through his hair "The whole world's crying out. Just leave it." Riker said quietly.

"Captain Riker Lynch, shame on you!" The female's voice said reprimanding.

The female's image was slowly clearing, assuming colour. Ianto leapt up to his feet and Riker's attention as immediately caught when he heard his name being called by the girl, woman or lady. Whoever she was. "Now, stand to attention sir!" The female said in the same tone.

Riker an over to the computer "What?! Who is that?" Riker asked.

The image cleared up which did in fact show a young girl in her early twenties or at least was 20. "Emily Jenkins, don't suppose you remember me, Riker." Emily said.

"Oh, yeah!" Riker smiled "I remember you."

Ratliff's eyes widened slightly, but he started yelling at the screen excitedly "Emily! It's me, it's me! Oh, she can't hear me," Ratliff turned to Wilf "have you got a webcam?"

"No," Wilf gestured to Sylvia "she wouldn't let me. She said they're naughty." He said like an innocent school child.

Ratliff turned back to the laptop "Well, I can't speak to her then, can I?"

"Maia Mitchell," Emily said through the computer "13 Bannerman Road. Are you there?" She asked.

Maia immediately jumped to her feet off the floor and ran over to the computer "Yeah! Yeah, I'm here! It's me!"

"Good!" Emily smiled "now, let's see if we can talk to each other." Emily pressed a few buttons where her, and everyone else's, screen was divided into four squares. She was in the first, Riker was in the second, Maia was in the third – and the fourth was still white noise and static like it was waiting for someone to get through. "The fourth contact seems to be having some trouble getting through…" Emily said.

"That's me!" Ratliff yelled, pointlessly "Emily, it's me!"

"I'll just boost the signal." Emily said.

Emily boosted the signal where Rocky and Laura's faces appeared in the fourth box "H-hello?" Rocky said, looking into the camera.

Riker, Ianto and Gwen laughed with relief to see Rocky and Laura sat in front of them on the computer screen alive "Rocky Lynch and Laura Marano!" Riker said happily with a big smile on his face.

"What?!" Ratliff raised his voice "who are they?! I wanna get through!"

"Laura, Rocky, where are you both?" Riker asked.

Laura laughed "I guess Project Indigo was cleverer than we thought," She said "one second we were in Manhattan…"

_"Bye, Riker." Rocky said in a small voice._

_"Rocky, don't do it!" Riker yelled through the phone as loud as he could._

_But it was too late, with his and Laura's eyes tightly closed, Rocky pulled the chords either side of the body-pack where he and Laura disappeared into a blue light._

"Next second…"

_Rocky and Laura found themselves both curled up on the floor in the hallway of Laura's Mom's house._

"Maybe Indigo tapped into my mind, because I ended up in the one place I wanted to be." Laura continued to say.

_Rocky undone the body pack from him and Laura so they could both get up and scramble to the floor. Laura looked up to where her Mom appeared at the top of the stairs, looking down at Rocky and Laura as if she couldn't believe her eyes. "Mom?" Laura questioned. Francine then stumbled down the stairs towards Laura, so happy and surprised to her as well as Rocky where she threw her arms around Laura, and Rocky to a short while after._

Francine, who was sat next to Rocky and Laura at the table whilst they were on the laptop, looked at Laura "You came home. At the end of the world, you came back to me." She said with a smile, Laura smiled back at her.

Rocky looked back at the laptop screen "It was amazing. All of a sudden, it was like… the laptop turned itself on?" Rocky said.

"It did, that was me," Emily said "I thought it was about time we all met, given the current crisis. Torchwood – this is Maia Mitchell." She said, deciding to introduce them all to one another.

Riker looked at Maia from the screen "I've been following your work," He said "nice job with the Slitheen."

Maia smiled briefly "Yeah, well, I've been staying away from you lot. Too many guns." She said, nodding in the direction of Luke by the way of explanation.

"All the same… might I say, looking good ma'am?"

Emily sighed, becoming wearily and not unamused "Not now, Captain," She said. Emily then looked at Laura and Rocky's screen "Rocky Lynch and Laura Marano, former companions of Ross."

"Oi! So was I!" Ratliff said indignantly, even though nobody could even hear or see him through the laptop. He was really annoyed right now, if you couldn't already tell by the way he looked and was speaking.

Laura nodded "But, how did you find us?" She asked.

"This, ladies and gentlemen, this is the subwave network," Emily told them "a sentient piece of software programmed to seek out anyone and everyone who can help to contact Ross."

"What if the Dalek's can hear us?" Rocky asked nervously.

"No! That's the beauty of the subwave. It's undetectable."

Maia smiled "And… you invented it?" Maia asked, impressed.

"I developed it," She said, and it was obvious by that as she looked at the slightly more than average PC's that were in the room she was in "it was created by the Mr Copper Foundation."

Riker nodded "Yeah, but what we need right now is a weapon," Riker said, turning his attention to the screen Rocky and Laura were on "Laura, back there at UNIT, what did they give you? What was that key thing?" He asked.

Laura pulled the key out from her pocket and showed them it "The Osterhagen key,"

"That key is not to be used, Doctor Marano!" Emily said in a tone that could not be argued with "not under any circumstances."

Riker looked puzzled at the screen, at both Rocky and Laura's as well as Emily's "But what is an Osterhagen key?"

"Forget about the key! And that's order!" Emily said commandingly. She then sighed "I never thought I'd bring myself to say this one day, but all we need is Ross."

"Yeah, but Emily," Maia started to say apologetically "the thing is… if you're looking for Ross, did he sort of… depose you?" She asked.

Emily nodded, remembering the day that happened which was the very last time she saw Ross, Ratliff, Ryan and Jenna ever "He did. And I've wondered about that for a long time, whether I was wrong. But I stand by my actions to this day, because I knew – I knew that one day, the Earth would be in danger and Ross would fail to appear. I told him so myself, and he didn't listen!" that day was certainly one to remember, but she wasn't going to go into detail about it seen as though the four of them obviously knew the backstory to it, and Ratliff too if he was here. But he wasn't.

"But, we've been trying to find him," Rocky said "Ross has got Laura's phone on the TARDIS, but we can't even get through."

"Nor me, and I was here first." Ratliff said, completely peeved.

"That's why we need the subwave – to bring us all together. Combined forces. Ross's secret army." Emily said.

The dawning idea then started to dawn upon Riker "Wait a minute. We boost the signal – that's it! We transmit that telephone number through Torchwood itself, using all of the power of the rift…"

"And we've got Mr Smith!" Luke said brightly, making Riker exchange an amused look with Gwen and Ianto "he can link up with every telephone exchange on Earth," Luke went on, where Rocky and Laura glanced at one another smiling "he can get the whole world to call the same number, all at the same time. Billions of phones calling out, all at once!"

Riker laughed "Ha-ha, brilliant!" Riker pointed at Luke "who's the kid?"

Maia looked at Luke and back at Riker "That's my brother!"

Ianto then started shuffling in front of the screen "Excuse me. Sorry," Ianto said to Riker as he pushed in front of him, so he was visible on the screen to everyone else where he started talking to the others, mainly Emily "sorry. Hello. Ianto Jones. Um, if we start transmitting, then the subwave network is going to become… visible. I mean, to the… Dalek's."

Emily nodded, letting out a sigh "Yes, and they'll trace it back to me, but my life doesn't matter. Not if it saves the Earth." Riker then stood to attention, saluting Emily. Emily smiled "Thank you, Riker," She said "but there are people out there, dying. On the streets. Now… enough words. Let's begin." She placed her hands on the keyboard and started.

Maia and Luke shared at excited look.

The Torchwood Team then burst into action, dashing from terminal to terminal to get the signal boosted up. "Rift power activated!" Riker said, as he ran to a terminal.

"All terminals co-ordinated!" Gwen said as she also went across the room, typing on each computer. Gwen helped Ianto with a bunch of wires which they connected to the column that raised up into the water feature outside the Millennium Centre. "National Grid online – giving you everything we've got!" Ianto said, where the machinery whirred as it powered up.

Maia and Luke were busy at Mr Smith's controls, pressing buttons and pulling levers on it "Connecting you to Mr Smith!" Maia said. "All telephone networks combined!" Luke also said a sort while after.

The screen the displayed a map of the UK with red dots indicating the networks.

Laura picked up her phone with the number of the phone Ross had in the TARDIS "Sending you the number… now!" She pressed the enter button and the number began to dial.

Emily continued to type away on the computer in front of her "Opening subwave network to maximum!"

Maia and Luke stepped back from the computer, ready to let Mr Smith take over "Mr Smith… make that call…" Maia said with hope.

The number displayed on Mr Smith's screen "Calling… Ross."

"So am I." Ratliff said, digging for his phone out of his pocket, beginning to dial the number.

"And… sending!" Riker said, pushing a lever and stood back as continuous rings of electric blue light travelled slowly up the column, up and out and the rings of blue light travelled up the water feature, emanating up into space with a soft bleeping sound.

The rings of light travelled out into space, becoming larger and further away they are.

The bleeping then became audible for Ross to hear, and that was when the phone started ringing. That's when he snapped out of his state of defeat in a second "PHONE!" He shouted, immediately grabbing it, bringing hope back to himself and Rydel "Laura, is that you? Rocky?!" He asked as he answered it "it's a signal…"

"Can we follow it?" Rydel asked as hope slowly started to fill her.

"Oh, you just watch me." He said determinedly.

Equipment exploded, sparks started to fly and cause utter chaos. Riker stood at a computer, yelling above the racket "I think we've got a fix!" Riker said.

"Mr Smith now at two-hundred percent!" Maia said where her and Luke had to jump backwards as sparks flew from Mr Smith "oh, come on, Ross!" Maia spoke impatiently, as she felt like Mr Smith was about to explode as well as the other technology that they were using to get hold of Ross.

Ratliff, Sylvia and Wilf all stood together, each dialling the number on their phones. Ratliff held his high above his head "Find me, Ross…" He whispered, he then closed his eyes praying "find me…"

"Got it!" Ross said, raising his voice "locking on!" he pulled a lever, causing a shudder that sent he and Rydel falling all over the place again, sparks flying from the console.

Riker gestured for Ianto to take his place at the terminal. "Emily, a source has locked onto your location. They've found you." Gwen said, referring to the Dalek's.

"I know," Emily said "I'm using the network to mask your transmissions. Keep going!"

All of a sudden, three Dalek's blasted a hole in the side of the house, but Emily didn't even bother to look round at them, she was just wholly set on finishing her job. Gwen was disturbed as she knew Emily's life was obviously going to come to an end soon, but she did follow her lead and continued on typing.

The whole console in the TARDIS had gone up in flames and the TARDIS shook very violently, Rydel gasped as this happened. Meanwhile, Ross was yelling above the noise "We're travelling through time! One second in the future! The phone call's pulling us through!"

Emily pressed one last button on the computer before looking at Riker on the screen "Captain, I'm transferring the subwave network to Torchwood. You're in charge now," she then smiled "and tell Ross from me: he chose his companions well," he said, making Riker nod at her with a sad smile "it's been an honour."

Three Dalek's then smashed through the window into her house, so Emily stood to meet them face to face. Or face to… eye piece if we're being technical about it. She strode forward towards them "Taking it you're here for me," she said "don't suppose you know who I am."

"Yes, we know who you are." One of the Dalek's spoke.

"Oh, you know nothing of any human. And that will be your downfall."

After a slight pause, the Dalek spoke again "Exterminate!"

Emily braced herself for the impact to be killed, within seconds the three Dalek's shot at her and she fell to the floor dead almost instantly.

The square on the computer screen that once held Emily's image, turned to white noise again.

Ross shouted from the top of his lungs in the TARDIS "THREE! TWO! ONE!" Ross and Rydel then held onto the console tight, yelling like they were on some sort of scary rollercoaster in a theme park.

The TARDIS hurtled towards the, now, visible Earth through the transmission, where the other 26 planets rapidly appeared around it one by one.

Finally, they'd found the Earth and were inside the Medusa Cascade.

The fire eventually died down and the TARDIS had stopped shaking at last. Ross and Rydel stared at the monitor, beginning to smile as they realised they've found the Earth and the other missing planets. "The twenty-seven planets!" Rydel said happily, she spotted Earth on the screen and pointed at it becoming delighted "and there's the Earth! But why couldn't we see it?"

"The entire Medusa Cascade has been put a second out of sync with the rest of the universe. Perfect hiding place, tiny little pocket of time," Ross explained before beginning to smile brightly "but we found them!" then a whirring sound could be heard and the screen on the monitor blurred out slightly, making Ross become curious "Oh, oh… what's that? Hold on, hold on…" he turned a knob on the console and looked into the monitor "some sort of… subwave network."

The image cleared, and the grid of webcams was shown on the screen – where Ross and Rydel had replaced Emily's part on the screen to where Riker, Maia, Rocky and Laura could see him. Riker laughed in relief as he saw Ross, and then turned angry "Where the hell have you been?!" Riker asked, angrily "Ross, it's the Dalek's!"

Maia also added in on this conversation "It's the Dalek's! They're taking people to their spaceships!" Maia said as her, Laura and Rocky started to jabber over them.

Ross just watched them as this happened with a smile spreading across his face, as he saw everyone he loved on the screen. Well… not everyone… Ratliff wasn't there.

"But it's not just Dalek Caan!" Laura said.

Sylvia watched on the laptop screen as she saw Rydel with Ross "That's Rydel!" She said with a smile.

"That's my girl!" Wilf said proudly.

Ratliff just said absolutely nothing. He just sat there, staring at the screen as he became overcome with seeing Ross's face again.

Ross just beamed "Maia! Who's that boy?" Ross asked, seeing Luke next to her "that must be Torchwood. Aren't they brilliant?" Ross beamed, well and truly. He was so happy seeing everyone.

Ratliff just had a half smile on his face, watching. "Look at all you clever people!" Ross said fondly.

Rydel smiled "That's Laura and Rocky!" She said happily, "and who's…" Rydel said with a mischievous look on her face as she pointed at Riker in the top hand corner "he?" She asked.

"Captain Riker. Don't!" Ross warned her, shaking his finger warningly at her "just… don't."

"Ross, it's me. I came back…" Ratliff said quietly, unable to take his eyes off of him.

Ross looked from Riker to Maia to Rocky to Laura, taking them all in as if he was looking for someone else, which he was. Rydel just smiled "It's like… an outer-space Facebook!"

Ross sighed "Everyone except Ratliff…" He said quietly to himself, even though Rydel heard.

Ratliff casted his eyes down, despondently.

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**Once again *ducks from thrown objects*. I'd say the next chapter would make up for it... but... it seems like it's going to make up for it... but it really doesn't. So... I'm sorry.**

**I'm a terrible person I know. **

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**(Preview) Next Time...**

"I've gotta go. I've gotta find Ross."

Gwen and Ianto just stood there, looking at Riker motionless and silent. Riker spoke reassuringly to them both "I'll come back," He smiled, getting no answer out of them both "I'm coming back!" He said more empathically.

Gwen nodded "Don't worry about us. Just go."

"We'll be fine." Ianto said.

"You'd better be." Riker said, seconds later he teleported out of Torchwood to go find Ross.

Gwen and Ianto looked at one another fearfully and clutched onto one another in response to an almighty crash from above, rubble falling from the ceiling. They creeped forwards silently, listening…. "Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"

The pair of them froze "They're here."

"TARDIS heading for vector seven. Grid reference: 665." Mr Smith said.

Maia shook her head and all of a sudden rushed to go get ready to go out and find Ross. "But there are Dalek's out there!" Luke said.

Maia pulled on her coat "I know. I'm sorry, but I have GOT to find Ross," She grabbed her car keys off the side "don't move. Don't leave the house. Don't do anything. I love you. Remember that…" Maia said sincerely.

With a stifled sob, Maia left Luke standing there with his brow furrowed. Outside, Maia ran over to her car and got inside it. She started it up of and skidded off down the road in a tearing hurry.

Like Riker and Maia, Ratliff was set to go. He was on his phone as he came out of another room and back into the room where Wilf and Sylvia were "Control? I need another shift. Lock me onto the TARDIS. Now."

Ratliff flipped the phone closed and put it back into his pocket, looking at Wilf and Sylvia with barely suppressed excitement "Right! I'm gonna find him," Ratliff said, taking a small pause before grinning "wish me luck."

**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE. I'm sure your all excited for the next one now because of the preview :) I KNOW I AM.**


	44. The Stolen Earth: Davros

**_Seen as though I got 5 reviews, I decided I'd update again! :)_**

**_I think you guys might just like this one_**

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**_The Stolen Earth: Davros_**

Rydel caught Ross's tone and casted him an uneasy sideways glance, as it was obvious he was disappointed that there wasn't a fifth screen there displaying the one person he wanted there the most. All of a sudden, as they were looking at the screen it turned into white noise again "We've lost them!" Rydel said anxiously.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Ross said, turning a knob on the console again to get the screen back "there's another signal coming through, there's someone else out there!" he bashed the top of the monitor with his hand as hard as he could "hello? Can you hear me?" Ross asked "Ratliff…" Ross said hopefully that he'd pop up on the screen. He watched the monitor, breathing heavily and waiting but…

"Your voice is different," The voice spoke "and yet, its arrogance is unchanged."

Ross recognised the voice almost immediately and he froze in some sort of horror. Maia shook her head, as she also heard the voice, becoming horrified "No… but he's dead…" Maia whispered.

For the first time, the top of an alien-type body and the bottom half being a Dalek's body, emerged from the shadow, shedding light on it's shocking form as it appeared on the form "Welcome… to my new Empire." It said.

Rydel stepped backwards in the TARDIS when she saw its face in revulsion. "It is only fitting that you should bear witness to the resurrection and the triumph of Davros, Lord and Creator of the Dalek Race…" Davros said sinisterly.

Rydel looked as Ross literally seemed to be frozen with fear to the point where he couldn't speak "Ross…?" Rydel asked, trying to snap him out of it.

"Have you nothing to say?" Davros asked.

"Ross, it's alright," Rydel said concernedly, trying to reassure Ross "we're in the TARDIS. We're safe."

"But you were destroyed," Ross said numbly, as he finally found the words to speak, he started to shake "in the very first year of the Time War, at the Gates of the Elysium… I saw your command ship flying into the jaw of the Nightmare Child. I tried to save you…"

If Davros could shrug, he would of "But it took one stronger than you," Davros said "Dalek Caan himself."

Behind Davros, was Dalek Caan in a weird form? His shell was all open and this squid like thing was visible inside of it, all wricked with one yellow eye. Dalek Caan then spoke in an insane singsong "I flew into the wild and fire. I danced and died a thousand times!"

"Emergency temporal shift took him back into the Time War itself."

Ross just became angry and disbelieving this "But that's impossible, the entire War is time-locked."

"And yet, he succeeded," Davros said simply, looking up at the screen where Ross was displaying on it from inside the TARDIS "oh, it cost him his mind, but imagine – a single, simple Dalek succeeded where Emperors and Time Lords have failed. A testament, don't you think, to my remarkable creation?"

"And you made a new race of Dalek's."

"I gave myself to them. Quite literally. Each one grown from a cell of my own body," Davros pulled his leather suit open to reveal his rotten, emaciated form, his ribs and heart being visible "new Dalek's. True Dalek's. I have my children, Ross. What do you have, now?" He asked.

Ross spoke barely over the shock of seeing him "After all this time… everything we saw, everything we lost… I have only one thing to say to you," Ross paused, before speaking loudly and full of maniac energy "BYE!" He pulled a lever, cutting Davros off.

The TARDIS began hurtling towards Earth.

"Emergency! Locate the TARDIS! Find Ross!" The big red Supreme Dalek said from the room is was in on board its ship with other Dalek's.

"He will go down to the Earth to find his precious human allies." Davros said.

"And death is coming…" Dalek Caan said, he then started to titter "I can see it…! Everlasting death for the most faithful companion!" He said, referring to Ratliff, Rydel, Rocky, Laura, Riker or Maia.

But which one? That was the BIG question.

Riker started darting around busily, getting ready and a phone to his ear, knowing the Dalek's were probably going to track down him and Torchwood now. "Gwen!" Ianto said, from the terminal "Dalek saucer heading for the Bay. They've found us." Ianto rushed away, as the blinking red dot on the screen closed in on Cardiff Bay, he let Gwen take over the terminal.

Riker continued to dash round on the phone "Laura, Rocky, one of you open that Indigo device! Now, listen to me: lift the central panel. There's a string of numbers that keep changing," he said as he picked up a large gun "but the fourth number keeps oscillating between two different digits. Tell me what they are."

Rocky looked on the Indigo "It's a four and a nine." He said.

Laura let out a small laughed "We could never figure out what that was."

Riker became gleefully and Ianto helped Riker on with his jacket "That's a teleport base-code, and that's all I need to get this thing working again," He said, looking down his wrist device accordingly, which was the time manipulator he last had when he was with Ross, Rocky and Laura with the whole Utopia mess "Oscillating four… and nine. Thank you, Rocky and Laura." He flipped his phone shut and Gwen handed him his gun "I've gotta go. I've gotta find Ross."

Gwen and Ianto just stood there, looking at Riker motionless and silent. Riker spoke reassuringly to them both "I'll come back," He smiled, getting no answer out of them both "I'm coming back!" He said more empathically.

Gwen nodded "Don't worry about us. Just go."

"We'll be fine." Ianto said.

"You'd better be." Riker said, seconds later he teleported out of Torchwood to go find Ross.

Gwen and Ianto looked at one another fearfully and clutched onto one another in response to an almighty crash from above, rubble falling from the ceiling. They creeped forwards silently, listening…. "Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"

The pair of them froze "They're here."

"TARDIS heading for vector seven. Grid reference: 665." Mr Smith said.

Maia shook her head and all of a sudden rushed to go get ready to go out and find Ross. "But there are Dalek's out there!" Luke said.

Maia pulled on her coat "I know. I'm sorry, but I have GOT to find Ross," She grabbed her car keys off the side "don't move. Don't leave the house. Don't do anything. I love you. Remember that…" Maia said sincerely.

With a stifled sob, Maia left Luke standing there with his brow furrowed. Outside, Maia ran over to her car and got inside it. She started it up of and skidded off down the road in a tearing hurry.

Like Riker and Maia, Ratliff was set to go. He was on his phone as he came out of another room and back into the room where Wilf and Sylvia were "Control? I need another shift. Lock me onto the TARDIS. Now."

Ratliff flipped the phone closed and put it back into his pocket, looking at Wilf and Sylvia with barely suppressed excitement "Right! I'm gonna find him," Ratliff said, taking a small pause before grinning "wish me luck."

Sylvia smiled "Oh, good luck!"

"Yeah, good luck, swear heart!" Wilf said happily.

After that, Ratliff disappeared in a blinding flash of blue light. And off he went to go find Ross.

At long last, the TARDIS materialised on Earth outside a church. Ross and Rydel emerged from the TARDIS looking at the horrifying view, which was the street. It was filled with abandoned cars that were parked haphazardly, overturned pushchairs, scattered rubbish, and abandoned bicycles. It was horrible. It looked like something out of a horror movie, and if Rydel was honest… she felt like she was in one. Knowing Ross, he probably didn't as he is use to stuff like this.

The noise around them was just filled with unnatural silence that it made them both slightly uncomfortable, and just to underline this image they were seeing a dog started barking in the distance. Rydel twisted and turned her head as she was feeling unsettled "It's like a ghost town…" She said.

Ross was also twisting and turning his head, looking around "Maia said they were taking all the people. But what for?" He asked himself, completely confused. He then quickly turned around to Rydel, desperate for an answer from her even though it would probably be difficult for her to remember "Think, Rydel. When you met Ratliff in that parallel world, what did he say?" Ross asked, urging Rydel to remember.

Rydel thought for a couple of seconds, where she shook her head and gave Ross a small shrug "Just… the darkness is coming."

Even though Rydel obviously couldn't give him a straight answer, he still looked at her with some hope and just tried his best to urge her to remember "Anything else?"

Rydel turned her head with a small sigh as she started to think, looking around the deserted street with some hope it was going to help her. But it wasn't. All she could do was sigh and loosen up her body language, which told Ross she absolutely had no clue that meant it would take longer for Ross to figure out what was going on and what the Dalek's and Davros wanted with the 27 planets.

As Rydel moved her eyes to look back at Ross, her body language tightened a little bit when she looked behind Ross, just by chance. The sides of Rydel's mouth twitched as she tried her best not to smile, she just looked back at Ross with a straight face.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Ross furrowed his brow at Rydel in confusion, not knowing what she meant by this. Did she mean it sarcastically? Or was she just being clever to him like she normally was? Rydel just couldn't hold back her smile anymore, she let the smile take over her face as she let her haze fall back behind Ross over his shoulder at the far end of the street. Ross still looked at Rydel in confusion and decided to follow her gaze at whatever she was looking at behind him. He slowly turned his head. And his eyes widened.

Right there, at the far end of the street, stood Ratliff.

Ratliff stopped walking down the street and paused when he saw Ross, when Ross had turned around he smiled with sheer joy just at the sight of him. Ross literally couldn't believe his eyes right at that moment, he honestly thought this day was never going to come after what happened the last time they saw each other. He thought when Rydel told him that she'd met Ratliff in the parallel world, he was afraid he was going to wake up and it was just some horrid nightmare. But obviously it wasn't. He just started at Ratliff in disbelief, but it was good disbelief.

Getting tired of standing there and waiting for Ross to make some sort of movement or do anything, Ratliff just broke out into a run with the smile still on his face. Rydel just smiled happily as Ross also broke out into a run a second after Ratliff did going towards him, with some sort of tears in her eyes as this moment was unfolding in front of her. She'd heard stories from Ross about Ratliff even from them she could tell they were in love with each other desperately, even when Ross admitted it to her one day. Right now, all the stories he'd been telling her the love from them were sure paying off right now.

As Ratliff ran down the street, the gun he was holding weighed him down but Ross more than made up for it as he was basically sprinting for his life, running towards Ratliff like there was nothing else he wanted more, with an expression of pure exhilaration. He just wanted to get to him already, wrap his arms around him, hold him close and never him go. Ever. No matter what the cost of it.

Perhaps it was because the pair of them were so focused in getting to one another that… they didn't notice the Dalek rolling out from the shadows.

"Exterminate!"

Ratliff turned his head at the sound of the Dalek, looking straight at it and gasping in horror as he realised he couldn't stop running and it was aiming at him and Ross. Ross turned around also, when he saw the Dalek he tried his best to stop running so he could get away from the Dalek that was about to fire at them both.

But it was too late for them.

Rydel gasped in horror as the Dalek shot its death ray and hit Ross straight in the chest, making him fall to the ground and she started running for him. The Dalek then turned around and aimed its gun towards Ratliff as it got ready fire, Ratliff just flinched but just in time Riker appeared in a flash of blue light, with an impressively quick surmise of the situation. He released the catch on his gun and fired it at the Dalek, blowing the top of it off where it was now dead.

Ratliff then took of his gun and dumped it onto the floor before he finally reached Ross and knelt beside him on the floor, cradling his head in his hands "I've got you. I missed you. Look!" Ratliff said, holding him, smiling weakly "it's me, Ross…"

Ross was only just conscious after being shot by the Dalek, he smiled through his pain, being just so absolutely content in seeing Ratliff and being held by him as he was slowly beginning to die "Ratliff…"

"Hi…" He whispered.

"Long time no see…" Ross said weakly.

"Yeah. But I've been busy, you know," Ratliff said, as if putting it to him mildly, that was when Ross convulsed, making Ratliff become frantic "don't die. Oh, my God, don't die…" He said frantically, almost begging for him not too. Which in a way, he kind of was.

He heard the footsteps of Riker and Rydel finally reaching them. "Get him into the TARDIS, quick. Move!" Riker said urgently, picking up Ratliff's gun as well as holding his own.

Ratliff and Rydel stood at either side of Ross and picked him up, beginning to help him down the street to the TARDIS. Riker just stayed behind them with both the guns, scanning the area for any more Dalek's that came out of nowhere.

Gwen emerged with two guns from a room in Torchwood, one for her and one for Ianto. "But, they don't work against Dalek's." Ianto said.

"Yeah? Well, I'm going out fighting. Like Owen, like Tosh. How about you?" She asked, holding out a gun for Ianto to take.

"Exterminate!"

Ianto took the gun from her "Yes ma'am."

Ratliff and Rydel laid Ross down on the grilling of the TARDIS as they couldn't hold onto him for much longer where he started to twitch and moan in pain. Ratliff watched him helplessly as he cradled him with tears spilling from his eyes. Rydel looked around, just as distressed as Ratliff "What—what do we do? There must be some medicine or something!" Rydel said in complete distress.

Riker threw the guns onto the seat "Just leave him," Riker said, he looked over at Ratliff seen as though Rydel seemed to be only one coming to terms with his order "Ratliff! Do as I say and leave him!" Riker said commandingly, but Ratliff couldn't even look away from Ross let alone get back "he's dying," Riker said, gently but firmly "and you know he'd normally move onto his 12th life now, but he got shot by a Dalek. He can't. He's gonna die."

Rydel stood up from the floor slowly and stared at Riker. Ratliff just whispered through copious tears "But you can't… not now, I came all this way."

At that point, Rydel just became completely frantic over this whole situation and Ratliff just looked on at Ross powerless and shaking, as Ross did looked like he was about to pass on any moment.

Maia's car skidded around the corner, she gasped in horror as she was forced to come to a rough halt seeing two Dalek's in front of her. She was dead. "All human transport is forbidden." One of the Dalek's said.

All of a sudden, Maia just started screaming and raising her hands "No! I surrender, I'm sorry!" She screamed petrified. Even though, she has faced the Dalek's before when she use to travel with Ross so she knew she wasn't going to be able to reason with them.

"Dalek's do not accept apologies. You will be exterminated!"

"Exterminate!"

Maia threw her arms up over her face, whimpering as she prepared to be shot dead by the two Dalek's.

The Dalek's broke into the hub where Gwen and Ianto were, waiting with their guns. The door rolled open as the Dalek's came in crying "Exterminate!" Gwen and Ianto then started firing at them, Gwen roaring with rage.

Riker walked over behind Ratliff, grabbing him by the arms gently and prising him away from Ross "C'mon, Ratliff, there's nothing we can do." Riker said. He pulled Ratliff away, putting his arms protectively around Rydel and Ratliff, trying to offer at least some comfort to them both as their best friend and lover was about to die.

"Will someone please tell me what is going on?" Rydel asked, some tears streaming down her face.

Ratliff spoke, trying to be calm but his voice trembled "When he's dying, he's—he's like a cat, basically, he as t-thirteen l-l-lives, he's on eleven now. So—so his b-body repairs its-itself and gives him a-another life. Bu—but for some re-reason, i-if someone like R-Ross gets sh-shot by a Dalek, i-it doesn't work b-because there—there's something in the Dalek's weapon tha—that stops him from moving onto ano-another l-life. Meaning he—he'll just die," Ratliff then looked over at Ross who was trying to get up off the floor but was struggling "but you can't!" Ratliff raised his voice in his anguish.

Ross shook his head weakly "I-I'm sorry… i-it's too late…" He said, as he was lowering to the floor, still looking up towards Riker, Ratliff and Rydel as best as he could as his vision was going blurry. Riker held onto Rydel and Ratliff tighter, as he could feel Ratliff shaking violently.

Before Ross could get in another word, he just fell to the floor in a heap… dead.

**_Next time:_**_Journey's End_

**_Then:_**_ The End Of Time (Part 1)_

**_After: _**_The End Of Time (Part 2) {Final Chapter}_

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***ducks from thrown objects* I'M SORRY.**

**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**


	45. Journey's End: The Dalek Crucible

**_I am SO sorry for that last chapter! I know.. it was horrible... I don't know if this chapter is going to be any better with him being dead... so... here you go._**

**_Please don't kill me lol._**

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**_Journey's End: The Dalek Crucible_**

Ratliff, Riker and Rydel watched Ross's lifeless body on the floor that was now dead, Riker was tempted to cry about it but he needed to stay strong and keep it in for Ratliff and Rydel who were currently sobbing messes in his arms. Rydel wasn't as bad as Ratliff was as Riker had to keep a tighter grip on him in case he decided to go over to him, though Riker would have let him he just doesn't think it would be a good idea or help. Ratliff kept his head buried into the side of Riker's arm so he didn't have to look onto the floor where Ross's body laid, he took one glance and even more tears spilled out of his eyes more rapidly as he turned back into Riker who was stood between himself and Rydel.

Rydel looked down briefly to where Ross had just past, letting the words of what the Albino Servant had told her at the Shadow Proclamation Headquarters. About her loss that was yet to come. Not Earth. Not her family. Ross. And if she was honest, losing Ross was worse than anything because now the Earth is well and truly doomed. None of them knew how to fly the TARDIS, only Riker had the transport to get onto the Dalek ships to stop them. Even then, he wasn't going to do it on his own.

It was official, the Earth had met its end.

If Ratliff was honest, he was really starting to wish he hadn't of came back now. Or he's wishing the Dalek would have shot him instead, that way Ross would still be alive and the Earth would have some sort of saving grace and be put back where it's supposed to be. Just thinking about it made Ratliff sob. Riker took his arm from around Rydel, seen as though she was sort of stable, before wrapping the other around Ratliff. Rydel just leaned against the railing of the TARDIS, wiping her eyes which wasn't working because of the tears.

It was over. Everything was over.

"AHH!" Rydel screamed as Ross jumped off the floor with a big gasp.

Ratliff and Riker jumped at Rydel's scream as well as Ross all of a sudden jumping from the floor, who looked like he was about to burst by the way his mouth was formed. He got on his hands and knees to where his severed hand was in the jar, opening up his mouth where some sort of orange energy flowed into the jar with the hand, making it bubble.

Once that was done, Ross jumped back up off the floor, stumbling backwards slightly where Rydel and Ratliff just gaped at him and Riker really didn't know what to think.

Ross coughed "Now, then. Where were we?" He asked, darting back to the console.

Leaving Ratliff, Riker and Rydel to stand where they were completely stunned as they stared off.

What the hell just happened?

Maia felt tears springing to her eyes as her arms were thrown over her face, waiting for the blow from the Dalek's in front of her car to kill her. She knew she shouldn't have left the house. Especially leaving Luke on his own. Damn it. "Exterminate! Exterminate! Extern—"

With flashes of blue light, the same as Ratliff, Ryan and Jenna appeared at either side of Maia's car, each holding a large gun like the one Ratliff had earlier. The pair of them fired the guns, taking the top off both the Dalek's and blowing them up. Once the Dalek's were blown up, Maia got out of the car shakily and turned around to where Ryan and some other girl was. She smiled a little as she remembered Ryan from when they last met, Ratliff was there too, with Ross. "Ryan…!" She said with some sort of happiness.

Ryan smiled back at her slightly, giving her a wink "Us Mitchell's have to stick together." He said.

Jenna then made her way over, shaking Maia's hand "Jenna Ratliff, Ellington Ratliff's sister," She smiled, then it turned sober and straight "now where the hell is my brother?" she asked, as if he was some kind of idiot that couldn't be trusted alone.

Ianto and Gwen continued to fire incessantly at the Dalek, Gwen still screaming as she fired and Ianto's brow furrowed – when they immediately stopped. They creeped forwards slowly.

Their bullets had stopped mid-air and were just hanging there.

With the expressions of amazement and disbelief, Gwen and Ianto approached them where Gwen reached out with one finger to touch one, but she couldn't. The air ripples out from her finger as though there was an invisible wall between her and where the Dalek was, which also wasn't moving. "What the hell?" Gwen said, awed.

Ross was back on his hands and knees before his hand that was in the jar, which was still bubbling and glowing. He blew gently onto the jar, where it calmed down and stopped glowing and bubbling. Ross smiled, becoming delighted as he sat up and looked at Riker, Rydel and Ratliff who were stood before him in the same spot "You see?" Ross asked "I used all the energy to heal myself that normally helps me to move onto the next life – which I'm on 12 now – but instead it was helping me to die, but once I was healed and that was done, I didn't need to die. I didn't want to, why would I?" Ross asked, pulling at his collar "look at me! So, to stop the energy going all the way and killing me, I siphoned off the rest into a handy bio-matching receptacle – namely, my hand. My hand, there. My handy spare hand."

He the stood up to Ratliff, looking at him seen as though he looked so confused and looked like he wanted to throw himself off a cliff "Remember? Christmas Day? Sycorax?" Ross asked, remembering it himself and when he told Riker, Rocky and Laura the story in Utopia, Ratliff still made no movement "lost my hand in a sword fight? That's my hand!" he waved his hand, fluttering his fingers.

Ratliff finally looked up from where he was looking, slowly looking from Ross's hand to Ross himself, still standing and looking uncertain about what had just happened. "What do you think?" Ross asked, lowering his hand.

Riker and Rydel looked at Ratliff who sighed. Ratliff then slowly edged towards Ross like he was something dangerous that he didn't understand whilst the other two watched them both "S-so… you're still… you?" Ratliff asked.

Ross smiled as his eyes practically twinkled stars "I'm still me."

At last a smile crept upon Ratliff's face before both of them threw their arms around each other and hugged one another tightly like their lives depended on it, Ratliff burying his head into his shoulder, with his eyes squeezed tightly in joy whereas Ross kept his arms around Ratliff tight, basically doing the same, his eyes still twinkling.

Riker grinned at the sight of them both hugging/holding/embracing one another. Whatever they wanted to call it. They deserved this moment after what happened to them both with Canary Wharf and Ratliff getting trapped in the parallel world, then after finally they found each other only for that moment to be destroyed by a Dalek. Talk about major cock-blocking or what.

Rydel smiled also, looking at Riker "You can hug me, if you want," She said to him jokingly. Riker laughed, but then Rydel turned seriously "No, really, you can hug me." She said seriously, making Riker's face drop.

Still, Ross and Ratliff were still clinging onto each other, Ross was beaming and Ratliff was just squeezing him tighter and vice versa.

Gwen and Ianto stood at a computer terminal, investigating the reason for the still frozen bullets and Dalek. "It's a time-lock," Ianto said, looking down at the screen "the ultimate defence programme. Tosh was working on it. Never thought she'd finished it, but she did. The Hub's sealed in a time-bubble. Nothing can get it." He explained.

"But that means we can't get out."

"Nope," Ianto shook his head "not without unlocking that Dalek. We're trapped inside. It's all up to Riker, now."

Four Dalek's rolled out of the shadows outside, making their way to where they had spotted the TARDIS. They then all surrounded it, so that nobody could get in or out without being shot dead "Report: TARDIS has been located." A Dalek said to the Supreme Dalek who was sat in the crucible up in the sky.

"Bring it here. Bring Ross to me. Initiate temporal prison!" The Supreme Dalek ordered.

Each of the four Dalek's went to each corner of the TARDIS, where they surrounded it in a thin hoop of spinning blue light. "Temporal prison initiated."

Ross, Ratliff, Riker and Rydel were all gathered together around the console when all of a sudden the power just went completely out. Ross started shuffling around the console himself, trying various buttons in case it was something else other than what he thought it was "They've got us. Power's gone…" Ross said, stopping trying the buttons and standing next to Ratliff again "some kind of chronon loop!"

Meanwhile, outside the TARDIS, Ryan, Jenna and Maia creeped behind a van as they watched the Dalek's do what they were doing to the TARDIS. "Transferring TARDIS to the Crucible!" One Dalek said. A short while after that, the TARDIS was lifted up skywards by a circle of blue light, up and away in the direction of the Dalek ships. Maia looked back at Ryan and Jenna "Those teleport things…" She started, talking quietly "can we use them? If they've taken Ross to the Dalek spaceship, then that's where we need to be."

Ryan reached into his pocket, pulling out a small golden circle with a button in the middle showing it to Maia "It's not just a teleport, it's a Dimension Jump. Man, this thing rips a hole in the fabric of space…" He said.

"But can we use it?" Maia asked impatiently.

Ryan put it away in his pocket "Not yet, it burns up energy. Needs half an hour between jumps."

"Then, put your guns down."

Ryan's head then immediately snapped towards Maia, looking at her as if she was some kind of crazy woman that needed to be put in some sort of mental institute "EXCUSE YOU?!"

Maia rolled her eyes "If you're carrying a gun, they'll shoot you dead," she then stepped out from behind the van, with her arms raised in surrender as she walked towards he Dalek's "Dalek's? I surrender." She winced as she walked towards them.

"All humans in this sector will be taken to the Crucible."

Ryan shook his head, watching Maia "She's bloody mad."

Jenna looked at Ryan from Maia "Yeah, but Ryan – if they've got Ross, then they've got Ratliff," she put her gun down also, raising her hands in surrender as she walked over to the Dalek's, just completely making Ryan give up on life "I surrender."

Ryan just shook his head.

"And him too." Jenna said, nodding in the direction of Ryan.

Ryan flailed his arms around in annoyance, just because them two were being idiots just to get to Ross… doesn't mean he wanted to. He just kissed his gun before he threw it to the ground, walking out and following Jenna and Maia.

Rocky adjusted the body-pack that he and Laura were wearing to get back here, he was attaching himself to it and went onto attaching Laura too it as well. When Laura was attached to it, he started to adjust it again to make sure Laura was tightly secured in seen as though she'd been given the Osterhagen Key and right now… she needed to use it. For the sake of the whole planet because right now, they weren't getting any help and everyone was losing.

It was time to end it and unfortunately this was the only way.

"Now Riker's explained the base code, Rocky knows how the teleport works," Laura started explaining to her Mom "I think… but you just stay indoors. There's no Dalek's on this street, you should be alright. Just um… keep quiet."

Francine looked between Rocky and Laura with confusion and tears stinging her eyes "Where are you both going?!" She asked.

"I'm a member of UNIT and they gave me the Osterhagen Key, I've got to do my job," Laura said to Francine abruptly. Don't get her wrong, Laura would gladly tell her Mom what the Osterhagen Key does, but she doesn't want to scare her even more than she already is. Francine made towards Laura, but she held out her hand to stop her "I'm sorry…" Laura said, scared.

"Laura… what's an Osterhagen Key? Tell me. What does it do?" Francine asked, even though she could tell it was obviously something bad. Just looking at Rocky herself, she could tell even he didn't want to use it just by the look of his eyes.

Laura couldn't even answer that question, more like she wouldn't "Love you."

She looked at Rocky and nodded to him. Rocky pulled down on the cords of the body-pack where they both disappeared.

**_GERMANY  
60 MILES OUTSIDE NUREMBURG_**

Moments later, Rocky and Laura appeared in a dark forest, Laura gasped in fright, hearing the sound of Dalek's that were not too far away. Rocky unattached Laura from the body-pack as they waited for the Dalek's to pass by so they could move again. "Exterminieren! Exterminieren! Exterminieren!"

"Halt! Sonst werden wir Sie Exterminieren! Sie sind jetzt ein Gefangener der Dalek's!"

Rocky and Laura stood and peered through the trees, seeing the German Dalek's gliding ominously through the woods. "Exterminieren! Exterminieren!"

Laura pulled on Rocky's arm where they both started running in the opposite direction.

With the four of them still inside, the TARDIS glided inexorably towards the Dalek ship. "There's a massive Dalek ship at the centre pf the planets," Riker said to the others "they're calling it the Crucible. Guess that's our destination."

Rydel turned around and faced Ross from Riker "You said these planets were like an engine. But what for?" She asked.

"Ratliff! You've been in a parallel world," Ross said, remembering as he spun round to face him "that world's running ahead of this universe – you've seen the future, what was it?"

"It's the darkness." Ratliff said.

Rydel nodded "The stars were going out." She added.

Ratliff went on to explain to Ross "One by one. We looked up at the sky and they were just dying. Basically, we've been building this um… this Dimension Cannon, so I could… well, so I could…"

Ross raised his eye brows "What?"

"So I could come back…" Ratliff said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Ross just beamed and giggled, Ratliff rolled his eyes playfully "Shut up…! Anyway, suddenly, it started to work. And the dimensions started to collapse," He said, where Ross's smile faded "not just in our world – not just in yours – but the whole of reality, even the Void was dead – you know, the one where I basically almost died?" Ratliff said, quickly reminding Ross in case he'd forgotten "something is… destroying everything."

"In that parallel world…" Rydel said, making Ratliff turn to him "…you said something about me."

"The Dimension Cannon could measure timelines, and it's… its weird, Rydel, but they all seem to converge on you…"

"But why me?" Rydel asked, becoming genuinely bemused "I mean… what have I ever done? I'm a temp from Chiswick!"

The computer bleeped, interrupting Rydel and Ratliff's conversation/explanation that was going on. Ross looked at the screen "The Dalek Crucible. All aboard…"

The TARDIS zoomed towards a huge-planet shaped Crucible, where it landed with a crash making the four inside knock about a little. The Supreme Dalek watched as the TARDIS landed in front of him and about eight Dalek's gathered around the TARDIS, their eyepieces twitching as they watched "Ross! You will step forth or die!" The Supreme Dalek said.

Ross watched the door whereas Ratliff, Riker and Rydel all stood behind Ross in some sort of line "We'll have to go out. Cause if we don't, they'll get in."

Ratliff became alarmed, looking at Ross in disbelief even though he was staring at the back of his head "You told me nothing could get through those doors!"

Riker also looked at Ross in near enough the same way "You've got extrapolator shielding."

Ross turned around to Ratliff and Riker, seen as though this was mainly aimed at them two and not Rydel "The last time us three fought the Dalek's, they were scavengers and hybrids and mad. But this is a fully fledged Dalek Empire… at the height of its power. Experts at fighting TARDISes, they can do anything," at that moment Riker and Ratliff both realised the vulnerability of their position, making their eyes widen with fear "right now, that wooden door… is just wood." Ross finished off.

Even though Riker thinks it's harsh, he's kind of wishing they could take the easy route out of this and do what happened last time by letting Ratliff look into the heart of the TARDIS again. Sure it might kill him this time, but it worked last time like a fucking charm and what's to say this time it'll work even better? Who knows, maybe he could turn Riker back to being mortal because being immortal… it's just getting boring now.

Rydel stood apart from the three boys, staring straight ahead, not listening to a single word either of them were saying because all she could hear was the steady beating of a heart again, it was just becoming louder and closer to her… nobody else could hear it. Only her. She knew fine well it wasn't her heart beat. It was someone else's.

But who's?

"What about your Dimension Jump?" Riker asked, looking at Ratliff, as his voice just echoed in the background of the heart-beat Rydel could hear.

"It needs another twenty-minutes, and anyway, I'm_ not leaving_." Ratliff said, becoming almost as stubborn as the time he was when he last said them three words. Still, his voice echoed in the background of the heart-beat Rydel could hear.

Everyone's voices just echoed in the background of the heart-beat Rydel continued to hear.

"What about your teleport?" Ross asked Riker.

"Went down with the power-loss." Riker replied.

Ross sighed "Right then. All of us together… yeah," Ross looked over to Rydel where he noticed her lack of interaction "Rydel?"

Rydel didn't react to Ross. She just continued staring ahead, her eyes were moist with her mouth hanging open slightly as he head was just full of the heart-beat that was driving her insane. Ross went over to Rydel concernedly, standing in front of her "Rydel." Ross said, snapping her out of the trance as soon as he took hold of her by the shoulders.

"Yeah…" Rydel said, finally looking at him.

"I'm sorry, there's nothing else we can do."

Rydel nodded "No, I know."

Ross nodded, mouthing 'okay' before turning to the door once more.

The Supreme Dalek continued to watch from outside the TARDIS on his stand "Surrender and face your Dalek masters."

"Crucible on maximum alert!"

"Dalek's…" Ratliff laughed nervously, remembering what happened the last time he faced the Dalek's plus Cybermen, god knows what could happen to him this time "heh!"

"Oh, God!" Riker said, as he took a deep shaky breath.

Riker laughed too before himself and Ratliff both watched Ross, looking so absolutely confident in him. Ross just looked at the three people in front of him. His best friend, his brother-from-another-mother and the love of his life.

He sighed "It's been good, though, hasn't it?" Ross asked, knowing the four of them were probably about to die, Rydel just smiled at Ross "all of us… all of it… everything we did…" he looked at Rydel "you were brilliant," He said with a small smile, Rydel's smile widened, she just nodded. Ross looked at Riker "and you were brilliant," Riker grinned. Ross looked at Ratliff "And you… I… um…" Ross paused "I think you were brilliant too," He said, replacing what he was actually going to say. Obviously not having enough confidence to actually say it, even though it was probably his last. Ratliff just smiled sadly at him.

Ross turned around facing the door, resigned, he made his way over to it. After a deep breath, Riker and Ratliff both followed him. Rydel made to go follow too.

Ross stepped outside of the TARDIS, followed by Ratliff and Riker where they came face to face with quite a number of regular Dalek's and the Supreme Dalek, which looked awfully familiar to the time they all faced them together last time "Dalek's reign supreme! All hail the Dalek's!" The Supreme Dalek said, making all the other Dalek's around the Crucible chant it.

Rydel walked slowly over to the TARDIS door, as she hadn't stepped out yet, and she paused when she got half way there… the heart-beat started inside her head again.

Ross, Ratliff and Riker all looked about themselves at the enormous ship, seeing the air was thick with Dalek's as they were all just continuing to chant: "Dalek's reign supreme! All hail the Dalek's!"

Ross exhaled at the sight of this. The Supreme Dalek looked down at the three in front of him "Behold, Ross. Behold the might of the true Dalek Race."

Rydel turned around from the door, looking back at the console with her brow furrowed.

"Rydel? It's no safer in there…" Ross called over his shoulder.

Rydel gave herself a small shake and turned round back to the door.

Only for it to slam shut and lock.

Upon hearing the door slam, Ross turned around and dashed back over to the TARDIS. Rydel started banging on the door of the TARDIS, realising she was trapped inside "Ross?!" She rattled the handle "what've you done?!"

"It wasn't me, I didn't do anything!" Ross said through the door, trying to get it open himself.

Rydel continued banging on the door with her hand as panic rose up inside of her "Oi! Oi, I'm not staying behind!" She shouted.

Ross kept on hand on the door and one hand on the handle as he looked over to the Supreme Dalek "What did you do?!" He asked.

"This is not of Dalek origin." The Supreme Dalek replied.

Rydel banged on the door harder and louder "Ross!" She yelled.

"Stop it!" Ross raised his voice, becoming angry as he had an idea of where this was going and what was about to happen "she's my friend. Now, open the door and let her out!"

"This is Time Lord Treachery!"

Ross looked at the Dalek confused "Me?! The door just closed on its own!"

"Nevertheless: the TARDIS is a weapon and it will be destroyed."

With that, the TARDIS fell through a trapdoor that opened up underneath it. Rydel stumbled about in the TARDIS as it fell through a long tunnel. It continued to fly down the tunnel.

Ross stared down the trapdoor in horror "What are you doing?! Bring it back!"

Rydel hanged onto the railings for support as the TARDIS gathered speed as it fell "ROSS!"

Ross started to panic "What have you done?!" He asked urgently with a lot of panic "where is it going?!"

"The Crucible has a heart of Z-Neutrino Energy. The TARDIS will be deposited into the core."

Ross instantly became horrified, knowing that meant it was going to be burnt. With Rydel in it. "But you can't, you've taken the defences down!" He said, his voice immediately rose "IT'LL BE TORN APART!"

The TARDIS shot down out of the tunnel and into the core, which resembled the sun, it was just a big burning ball of fire. The lights around the console smashed, making Rydel scream as she tried to dodge the balls of fire that were falling through. Small fires started springing up around the grilling and everywhere else, all she could do was do her best to dodge the fires, the fire balls and just hang on tight hoping somehow she'd be saved.

Even though it was obvious she wasn't going to be.

The TARDIS just sunk deeper into the burning core.

Ratliff advanced towards the Supreme Dalek, even though he knew it was a risk on his own life, and gestured to the trapdoor "But Rydel's still in there!"

"Let her go!" Riker shouted angrily.

Rydel crouched down by the console, emitting small screams and trying to shield herself from the small explosions and sparks and fire that were all flying around her.

"The female and TARDIS will perish together! Observe," The Supreme Dalek said. A holographic screen appeared above Ross, Riker and Ratliff where they turned around to look at it, Ross approached it with dread as he saw the TARDIS blobbing in the energy "the last child of Gallifrey is powerless."

Ross just watched as the TARDIS was dying with Rydel in horror, completely powerless indeed.

Absolute chaos happened in the TARDIS, sparks flew everywhere and glass smashed which was making it impossible for Rydel to protect herself under the console.

Then, the smoke started to choke her.

She was going to die whether she liked it or not.

* * *

_**Oh good lord, I need to stop don't I? I'M SORRY. It's not me... it's the show I swear... **__**but trust me, you think this is bad? there is WORSE yet to come... Just saying...**_

_**But on the bright side... Ryan & Jenna are back... right..? No? Okay...**_

_**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_


	46. Journey's End: The Osterhagen Key

_**Sorry for leaving it on a bit of a cliffhanger there... Oops?**_

_**Hopefully this chapter will make up for it... though... I always say that and it never does...**_

* * *

_**Journey's End: The Osterhagen Key**_

Ross ran his hands through his hair in complete distress and aggravation as he watched on the large screen the TARDIS burning and dying with Rydel inside of it. He then beseeched the Supreme Dalek "Please. I'm begging you, I'll do anything!" he looked from the Dalek back up to the screen in helpless agitation, gesturing to himself "put me in her place!" he begged, but all that was happening was that his anger was rising and his face was growing redder and redder "you can do anything to me, I don't care, just get her out of there!"

Rydel kept herself on her hands and knees for protection from the flames and sparks that were now practically taking over the TARDIS now, hiding under the console, panting and coughing for breath.

That was when she stopped.

Her eye was caught by the hand, Ross's hand, in the jar… where once again her head returned to be being full of the heartbeat. An ethereal glow from the hand – the glow from the energy Ross had released into it earlier – reflected onto her face. She got from underneath the console and reached out her hand, touching the jar. The orange energy engulfed Rydel, making her gasp and shaking violently until the jar smashed.

Ross watched the screen through gritted teeth, breathing heavily and trembling whereas Ratliff and Riker just stood a short distance behind him feeling hopeless and not even knowing what to do for him. Because if they tried anything they'd both be shot dead, well Ratliff would; Riker would just come back five seconds later, or they would join Rydel in the TARDIS.

"You are connected to the TARDIS," the Supreme Dalek said "now, feel it die."

The destruction of the TARDIS continued around Rydel, but she seemed strangely immune to it. She sat up from the floor and looked over to where the hand was now being engulfed by the energy, which lied on the grilling and its fingers just twitched. Rydel watched with her brow furrowed in confusion as the energy spread outwards from the hand into… the shape of a guy?

Rydel cocked her head to the side a little in more confusion. When the shape was fully formed, it sat up suddenly where the energy was shaken for it, only to reveal… Ross? "It's you!" Rydel said, amazed yet relieved.

"Oh, yes." He said.

Rydel glanced down and quickly up again as she realised he was stark naked in front of her "You're naked…"

"Oh, yes."

"Total TARDIS destruction in ten rels!" a nearby Dalek said.

Ratliff moved forward to Ross who was standing there motionless, taking his hand and standing closely by him as the Dalek counted down "Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five!"

Rydel still sat in the TARDIS and watched as the other Ross, from his position on the floor, pressed a button on the console which made the TARDIS slowly start to fade away out of the ball of fire.

"Four! Three! Two! One!" The Dalek counted.

That was when the TARDIS faded away. "The TARDIS has been destroyed. Now, tell me, Ross… what do you feel?" The Supreme Dalek asked. Ross just watched the screen still, with a dark expression clouding his face knowing that Rydel – as well as the TARDIS – were dead and it was all his fault. "Anger? Sorrow? Despair?" The Supreme Dalek went on.

"Yeah…" Ross whispered, his voice breaking. Still having hold of his hand, Ratliff looked at Ross with all the concern of one of the few people who actually knew what the TARDIS meant to him as well as everything else.

The Supreme Dalek still went on to talk "Then, if emotions are so important, surely we have enhanced you."

"Yeah?" Riker asked, pulling out a pistol from his belt "Feel this!" Riker turned around and shot the Supreme Dalek, only for the bullets to bounce off him ineffectually.

"Exterminate!" The Supreme Dalek send a death-ray Riker's way where he screamed in pain and fell to the floor, apparently 'dead'.

Ratliff let go of Ross's hand and fell to his knees beside Riker in distress "Riker! Oh, my God. Oh, no…"

Ross slowly walked over and knelt beside Ratliff with his hands around him in some way "Ratliff…" He said, softly so only he could hear "come here. Leave him."

"They killed him…" Ratliff whispered.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Escort them to the Vault." The Supreme Dalek ordered. Ross pulled Ratliff to his feet, with his arm around him. "They are the playthings of Davros, now." The Supreme Dalek said.

A Dalek led Ross and Ratliff from the room, where Ross glanced back at Riker lying on the floor, who just winked at Ross.

In the Medusa Cascade, the TARDIS gently glided away from the Dalek Crucible. The other Ross was up on the railings, mending the TARDIS by the door. He turned around and jumped off back onto the floor by Rydel, pulling on his blue jacket "All repaired!" He said "lovely. Shh! No-one knows we're here. Gotta keep quiet. Silent running, like on submarines when they can't even drop a spanner. Don't drop a spanner. I like blue, what do you think?"

Rydel shook her head, looking at this 'Ross' like he was mad "You – are – bonkers!"

"Why?! What's wrong with blue?"

"Is that what Time Lords do?" Rydel asked, being highly disturbed "lop a bit off, grow another one? You're like worms!"

'Ross' shook his head "No, no, no, no, no, I'm unique. Never been another like me!" He said with a smile "because all that regeneration energy went into the hand – look at my hand, I love that hand," he wiggled his fingers before dropping his hand "but then you touched it – WHAM!" 'Ross' shouted at the end, making Rydel jump out of her skin "Shh!" he hushed her "instantaneous biological metacrisis. I grew… out of you," he looked Rydel up and down "still… could be worse."

"Oi! Watch it, spaceman!"

"Oi! Watch it, Earth-girl!" 'Ross' said, matching exactly the same way Rydel had said what she had just said "Oh!" both of them then stared at each other, with their mouths in identical 'Oh!' shapes "I sound like you! I sound all… all sort of, rough…"

"Oi!" Rydel raised her voice.

"Oi!"

"Oi!"

"Spanners, Shh!" 'Ross' hushed her, making Rydel button up and her lips pursed "I must've picked up a bit of your voice, that's all. Is it? Did I?" he then came to disbelief, realising what had happened… he had Rydel's personality "oh! You are kidding me, no WAY. One heart…" he felt his chest, where he felt the beat of only one heart instead of two "I've got one heart! This body… has got only one heart!"

Rydel became absolutely gob-smacked "What?" She placed her hand on his chest, where she did in fact feel only one heart beat instead of two "what, like you're human?" She asked.

"Oh, that's disgusting."

"Oi!"

"Oi!"

"Stop it!" Rydel said crossly.

"No, wait, I'm… part Time Lord, part human…" 'Ross' looked at Rydel "well, isn't that wizard?"

Rydel looked at this version of 'Ross' puzzled "I kept hearing that noise… that heart beat…"

Human Ross nodded "Oh that was me. My single heart," he went over to the console, waving his hand dismissively "because I'm a—complicated event in time and space, must've rippled back. Converging on you."

"But why me?"

"Because you're special."

"Oh, I keep telling you: I'm not special!" Rydel said, exasperated.

Human Ross looked at Rydel, and said to her simply "No, but you are, you…" he looked at Rydel as if he'd only just realised "Oh… you really don't believe that, do you?" He asked, then gesturing to his head "I can see, Rydel… what you're thinking. All that attitude all that lip, 'cos all this time… you think you're not worth it".

"Stop it."

"Shouting at the world 'cos no-one's listening. Well… why should they?"

"Ross? Stop it…" Rydel said, becoming upset. Clearly from her voice and facial expression.

Human Ross then spoke gently, but proud "But at what you did… no. It's more than that, it's like…" he started searching through his thoughts "we were always heading for this…"

_After rubbing his eyes, he took a deep breath and turned his attention to the TARDIS console, pushing the buttons and levers as walked slowly around it without any of his former enthusiasm. It was like a vampire had bit him and drained all of his happiness and enthusiasm out of him and the pain he was experiencing was that great it felt like he'd been smacked in the face by a lorry that was on fire with nuclear weapons and stuff on board it._

_Because here we was yet again in the TARDIS... alone. Back to square one._

_Once he had done a full circle around the TARDIS and was standing in the place he was before, he suddenly looked up and his eyes widened with shock._

_Standing by the door, with her back to him, stood a bride._

_"What?" Ross said aghast._

_Rydel spun around at the sound of someone's voice after realising she was elsewhere but the church. She turned around where she came face to face with a blonde boy, she let out a yelp._

_"What?!" Ross said, raising his voice becoming even more confused._

_"Who are you?" Rydel asked, disdainfully._

_Ross looked around, completely dumbfounded, his lip quivered "B-but-"_

_"Where am I?"_

_"What?!"_

_"What the hell is this place?!" Rydel yelled._

_"WHAT?!"_

"You came to the TARDIS…"

_Rydel sighed, rolling her eyes where she looked over to the window opposite her where she saw… Ross. Ross also looked through the window where he saw Rydel through the window on the door, both of them became stunned._

**_"Rydel?"_**_ Ross asked, mouthing/miming through the window._

_Rydel's mouth fell open, but more in amazement and happiness **"ROSS!"**_

**_"But… what? Wha… What?!"_**

**_"OH. MY. GOD."_**

_Ross shook his head in complete confusion **"But… how?"**_

**_"It's me!"_**_ Rydel pointed to herself, completely forgetting about Miss Foster being in the room with the bodyguards and Penny._

**_"Well, I can see that."_**_ Ross mouthed, doing little actions to go along with it._

"And you found me again…"

_Ross pulled aside the bed curtain, now fully dressed in actual clothes rather than pyjamas. He slowly walked over to them "Very good point!" Ross said to Rocky "brilliant in fact. What was your name?" _

_"Rocky..." he said, he then pointed at Laura "and that's Laura."_

_"And it was... Lynch and Marano, wasn't it?" He asked. Both of them nodded. "Well then, Rocky Lynch…"_

"I travelled with your good old friend, Rocky Lynch."

_They walked into the alleyway where the TARDIS was and also where Rydel had left her car, her mouth almost fell open in shock "That's my car! That is like destiny! And I've been ready for this," she opened up the boot of her car where it held just a couple of suitcases "I packed ages ago, just in case. Cause I thought, hot weather, cold weather, no weather…" she started to load her luggage to the arms of a stunned Ross "…. He goes anyway, I've gotta be prepared! I'm ready!"_

"Your car!"

All of a sudden the dawn of realisation just hit him like a ton of bricks "Rydel, your car! You parked your car right where the TARDIS was gonna land, that's not coincidence at all!" he spun round on the spot, fingers to his temples "we've been blind! Something's been drawing us together for such a long time."

Rydel became breathless "But you're talking like… destiny," she said, completely shocked and breathless "but there's no such thing… is there?"

Human Ross just held his head and probed his mind "It's still not finished," he said "it's like… the pattern's not complete. The strands are still joining together. But heading for what?"

Rocky and Laura emerged from the woods where an old woman came to meet them both down the steps of a castle, which looked old, abandoned and worn down. The woman stared down at them both "Hier ist niemand. Was immer sie wollen, gehen Sie fort! Lassen Sie mich in Ruhe."

"Ich heisse Laura Marano und Rocky Lynch. Ich komme von UNIT. Agentin fuenf sechs sechs sieben eins, von der medizinischen Abteilung." Laura said.

"Es hiess Sie kaemen vorbei," The woman looked Rocky and Laura up and down "the accent… that is London, ja? I went to London, long time ago."

Rocky had his arms folded, looking up at the woman with confusion "I thought this place was supposed to be guarded." He said.

"There were soldiers. Boys. I brought them food, every day. But when der Albtraum came from the sky, they went home. To die. But not you two."

"We've got a job to do." Laura said, going up the castle steps with Rocky next to her.

The inside of the castle was just complete darkness. Rocky and Laura both looked around, making straight for a curtain that was at the other side of the room. Both of them pulled it off, revealing a hand-recognition lock, Laura entered a code and placed her hand to it. The German woman approached her slowly "London," the German woman spoke "in those days, to see it. So such glamour. I was so young," she said, getting no answer from either of them "I heard soldiers talking, many times," she said, trying to provoke a reaction "they would speak of the Osterhagen Key. I think London must be changed now, yes? But still, the glamour…"

Laura opened up the door activated by the hand-lock but her and Rocky both turned around upon hearing a click from behind them, seeing the German woman was pointing a gun to them both "You will not go." The German woman said determinedly.

Laura looked at the woman, seeming to be more terrified of what she was about to do rather than the gun and if Rocky was honest, he was scared too of what Laura was about to do. But you know, it had to be done.

The world had to end one way or another.

"I've got no choice." Laura said.

"I know the Key," The German woman said "what it does," she whispered, becoming close to tears now "Sie sind der Albtraum. Nicht die anderen, Sie. Ich sollte Sie umbringen, am besten gleich jetzt!"

Rocky nodded "Then do it." He said, quietly.

The woman trembled before faltering. She couldn't. Laura and Rocky then stepped into the lift behind the door. "Laura, Rocky… zur Hoelle mit Dir!"

Rocky closed the doors "I know…"

Back in the Dalek Crucible, the Dalek's placed Riker's 'dead' body into what looked like a circular drawer, which they closed. "Disposal complete." A Dalek said.

The Dalek's left and after a moment Riker forced his way out of the red hot compartment, steaming, coughing, but very much alive.

The steel doors in front of Rocky and Laura opened from top to bottom. Laura looked up at Rocky "You erm… you don't have to come in and do this with me if you don't want to. You can wait here…" She said.

Rocky shook his head "Oh, no. You shouldn't do this on your own, I'm coming in with you."

Laura gave Rocky a weak smile before hugging him tightly for a short while, knowing it was probably going to be the last time she ever did so and Rocky was the same. They both pulled away from the hug and entered the room that was behind the steel doors, it was a small dark room full of control panels and flashing lights.

Laura walked over and sat in front of the terminal with Rocky stood behind her, and the Osterhagen Key in her hand. She pressed a button "T-This is Osterhagen Station One. My name is Laura Marano. Is there anyone there? Over."

* * *

_**Welp it wasn't THAT bad of a chapter was it? I mean, in about 2 or 3 chapters time... That's the one your all gonna wanna kill me for. Just saying.**_

_**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_


	47. Journey's End: Dalek Caan

**_I am SO SORRY for another short chapter! I promise I'll TRY make the next one longer! In fact, it might well just be :)_**

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**_Journey's End: Dalek Caan_**

Prisoners in the corridors of the Dalek Crucible were being herded along by the Dalek's themselves with their hands behind their heads, Maia, Ryan and Jenna being amongst the large crowd. "One step closer to Ross…" Maia said, walking along as the three of them casted furtive looks about them.

In the vault where Davros was, he stood a fair distance from where Ross and Ratliff had been both placed in the room "Activate the holding cells." Davros said.

The holding cells appeared like spotlights over Ross and Ratliff, who had both been placed standing a few feet from one another. Davros rolled towards Ross "Excellent," he said "even when powerless, a Time Lord is best contained."

"Still scared of me, then?" Ross asked. He touched the edge of the holding cell with the palm of his hand – obviously not being able to get through it, it rippled with blue light. Ratliff watched him as he done that before doing the same to the holding cell he was in.

"It is time we talked, Ross, after so very long—"

Ross shook his head, immediately becoming impatient with Davros already "No, no, no, no, no. we're not doing the nostalgia tour. I want to know what's happening right here, right now, cos the Supreme Dalek said 'vault', yeah?" Ross turned as best and as far as he could in the holding cell, taking in his surroundings around it "as in, dungeon. Cellar. Prison," he said, finally meeting back with Davros' face, speaking knowingly "you're not in charge of the Dalek's, are you? They've got you locked away down here in the basement, like, what, a servant? Slave? Court jester?"

"We have… an arrangement." Davros said, interrupting him from going any further.

Ross laughed mockingly "No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I've got the word! You're the Dalek's pet!" he continued to laugh.

Davros moved away from Ross and made his way over to Ratliff "So very full of fire, is he not?" Davros asked, looking up at Ratliff "and to think, you crossed entire universes, striding parallel to parallel to find him again."

Ross's laugh then sobered up "Leave him alone." He said with cold anger.

Davros continued to look at Ratliff "He is mine. To do as I please." He said, completely ignoring what Ross had said, obviously.

"Then why am I still alive then?" Ratliff asked.

"You must be here. It was foretold. Even the Supreme Dalek would not dare to contradict the prophesies of Dalek Caan." Davros pressed a button on his control panel, throwing a light onto Dalek Caan who was on his platform.

"So cold and dark. Fire is coming… the endless flames…" Dalek Caan said in a sing-song voice.

Ratliff looked at Dalek Caan slightly freaked out "What is that thing?" Ratliff asked, looking at Ross seen as though Caan was all opened up and you could see his insides.

"You've met it before," Ross said, looking at him "the last of the Cult of Skaro. But it flew into the Time War, unprotected."

"Caan did more than that," Davros said, adding to the description "he saw Time. Its infinite complexity and majesty raging through his mind. And… he saw you. Both of you."

Ross and Ratliff glanced at each other, finding it a tad bit scary now. Dalek Caan went onto speak "This I have foreseen in the wild and the wind. Ross will be here, as witness, at the end of everything. Ross and his precious Children of Time!" Caan started to giggle "and one of them will die…!"

Ross then became full of barely contained anger "Was it you, Caan? Did you kill Rydel? Why did the TARDIS door close? Tell me!"

"Oh, that's it!" Davros said, immediately becoming delighted "the end, the fire, the rage of a Time Lord who butchered millions. There he is. Why so shy?" Davros asked "show your companion… show him your true self," Davros said, but Ross gave no answer to him instead to just stare at him coldly and making him uneasy, Davros peered at him "Dalek Caan has promised me that, too."

"I have seen it," Dalek Caan said "at the time of ending, Ross's soul will be revealed."

Ross looked confused "What does that mean?"

"We will discover it together… our final journey. Because the ending approaches. The testing begins." Davros then turned away.

"Testing of what?"

Davros turned back to Ross to answer "The Reality Bomb."

The prisoners, including Maia, Jenna and Ryan, were all herded into a large chamber of metal and stone. The chamber was full of Dalek's in the air and on the ground. A woman, who was next to Jenna, fell down to her knees – apparently in pain, so Jenna helped her. A Dalek then came over and rounded on them both "You will stand!" The Dalek ordered.

"I can't…" The woman said, scared.

"You will stand."

As this went on, Maia noticed a door which was inset with a small round window, not too far away. With one last glance at what was happening, Maia made a dash for the door? "I can't. Please…" The woman begged.

"On your feet! On your feet!" The Dalek ordered.

Ryan watched Maia as she opened up the door with her sonic lipstick. When Maia had the door open, she looked over at Ryan and called for him as loudly as she dared "Ryan! Ryan!"

Ryan looked around, catching Jenna's eye "Jenna!" Ryan followed Maia through the door, which led into a small side chamber of sorts. Jenna, who was helping the woman to her feet, realised she couldn't go without being unnoticed.

Maia and Ryan watched through the window "We can't just leave her," Ryan said shakily "Matty and Ratliff will kill me." He said, seemingly more scared of that than what was actually going to happen.

Ryan made to open up the door, but Maia stopped him "Wait!" She said, where then a Dalek glided in front of the door.

The woman who was on the floor became frantic and looked up to Jenna for answers "What does it mean? What are they testing? What are they going to do?"

Jenna looked upwards to where she saw a large, circular green device that was high above their heads. She shrugged "I reckon it's that thing up there." She pointed, as if it was nothing and she wasn't really surprised. Just being typical Jenna really.

"Testing calibration of Reality Bomb," The Supreme Dalek said, getting ready to count down "firing in ten rels – nine, eight, and seven…"

"Behold," Davros said, talking over to Ross "the apotheosis of my genius." He used his control panel to activate a holographic screen displaying the testing chamber.

"…two, one, zero. Activate planetary alignment field!"

The entire TARDIS shuddered, making Human Ross and Rydel to stop in their tracks. When it steadied itself, Human Ross looked at the monitor "It's the planets. The twenty seven planets."

In the Medusa Cascade, where the planets were, all of them were then bathed in a white glow.

Ross, who was in the vault with Ratliff, watched it all happening on the screen "But that's Z-Neutrino Energy. Flattened by the alignment of the planets into a single stream… No…" Ross turned to Davros in a blind panic "Davros. Davros, you can't! You CAN'T! NO!"

Meanwhile in the TARDIS, Human Ross was watching the monitor with his chin resting on his hand, trying to work it out "Single-stream Z-Neutrinos compressed into…" he faltered as he realised "no. No way..."

The glow emanating from the planets started to brighten.

Maia and Ryan were still in the side chamber, watching the proceedings in the testing chamber through the small window. The prisoners, still with their hands behind their heads, watched as the Reality Bomb above them brightened. Maia watched, breathing heavily, whilst Ryan paced up and down; he stopped when he heard a bleeping sound "Thirty minutes…" He said, feeling his pocket "it's recharged!"

Ryan ran over to the window, mouthing at Jenna, gesturing frantically at the Dimension Jump. Jenna looked over at the window where she saw Ryan shouting, only barely being audible "It's recharged! It's recharged! Use it!"

Jenna went into her pocket and took out the Dimension Jump and looked at the woman standing next to her "I'm so sorry." Jenna whispered. She pressed the button on the Jump and disappeared, much to the surprise of the woman.

When Jenna appeared in the side chamber, Ryan ran up to her and gave her a hug, where the pair of them hugged tightly.

The light intensity of the Reality Bomb increased, Jenna, Ryan and Maia all watched in revulsion as the prisoners were dissolved into atoms from head to toe – making Ryan remember how when Ratliff told him about the story of him looking into the heart of the TARDIS and making the Dalek's disappear in the same way.

Oh no.

The light that was around the planets dissipated. "Test completed." A Dalek said.

Rydel looked at Human Ross "What is it? Ross? What did it do?" She asked. Human Ross had no words – he just merely stared at the monitor in shock.

Ratliff looked up at the screen in the vault shaken "Ross, what happened?" He asked.

"Electrical energy, Mr Ratliff," Davros said looking at him, whereas Ross just stared at Davros still not being quite able to believe what he was doing, breathing heavily. Davros went on to speak "every atom in existence is bound by an electrical field. The Reality Bomb cancels it out – structure falls apart. That test was focused on the prisoners alone. Full transmission will dissolve every form of matter."

"The stars are going out…" Ratliff said in realisation, finally knowing what it meant now.

"The twenty-seven planets…" Ross said "they become one vast transmitter. Blasting that wavelength…"

"Across the entire universe," Davros cut him off to explain for himself rather than have him do it "never stopping. Never faltering. Never fading. People and planets and stars will become dust. And the dust will become atoms and the atoms will become… nothing. And the wavelength will continue, breaking through the Medusa Cascade into every dimension, every parallel, every single corner of creation," Davros' voice then started to take on a hysterical quality as he spoke "this is my ultimate victory! The destruction of reality itself!"

"Prepare for universal detonation!" The Supreme Dalek said "the fleet will gather at the Crucible! All Dalek's will return to shelter from the cataclysm! We will become the only life forms in existence!" he said as the Dalek ships zoomed away from the Earth.

Sylvia ran from the house with sheer delight, looking up at the sky as the Dalek's left "Look, they're leaving! Dad, they're going! The Dalek's are going!"

Wilf looked up with Sylvia "Going where, though? And Rydel's still out there," Wilf said, making the smile from Sylvia's face fade "it's not over yet, sweetheart."

As Jenna, Ryan and Maia were peering through the window, they were disturbed by a banging metal sound coming from behind them. Riker then all of a sudden came tumbling out of an air vent, making the three of them all spin around. Riker looked at all of them, recognising all three of them instantly, he stood up "Just my luck. I climb through two miles of ventilation shafts, chasing life signs in this thing –"he said, gesturing to the wrist device "… and who do I find? Ronald McDonald!" He said, referring to Ryan as he always use to call him that.

"You can talk, Captain Cheesecake." Ryan said.

Both of them then burst out laughing and ran into a manly hug "Good to see ya!" he looked at Ryan without letting go of him "and that's 'Beefcake'."

"And that's enough hugging."

Riker released Ryan, and saluted Maia "We meet at last, Miss Mitchell."

Maia nodded "There is something we can do. You've got to understand – I have a son down there on Earth. He's only fourteen years old. I brought this," from her pocket, she took out what looked like to be a diamond necklace – expect the diamond shined with unnatural brightness "it was given to me by a Verron Soothsayer. He said… 'This is for the end of days'."

Maia handed it over to Riker, who took it into his hands with his mouth slightly open "Is that Warp Star?" He asked. Maia nodded.

"Gonna tell me what a Warp Star is?" Ryan asked.

Riker never took his eyes off the Star "A warp-fold conjugation trapped in a carbonised shell. It's an explosion waiting to happen, Ryan," he looked at Maia, whispering in an awed tone "an explosion waiting to happen."

In the Osterhagen Station, where Rocky and Laura were, a screen on the terminal burst into life – China. "This is Osterhagen Station Five. Are you receiving, Station One?" The Chinese girl asked.

"I've got you," Laura said, tapping a few buttons on the panel "that makes three of us, and three is all we need." She said with a bit shaken. She couldn't believe this was about to happen.

"My name is Anna Zhou. What's yours?"

"Laura Marano," She said as Rocky just watched her nervously as he knew he and the whole world were now minutes away from death. Laura looked at Station Four, which was Liberia "What about you, Station Four? You never said."

"I don't want my name on this," The man said "given what we're about to do."

Laura looked down at the Osterhagen Key in her hand with nervousness, she jumped slightly when she felt Rocky touch her shoulder, she looked up at him and he gave her a small nod even though the fear was clear in his eyes as well as hers. "So, what happens now? Do we do it?" Anna asked.

"No, not yet." Laura said thoughtfully.

"UNIT instructions say once three Osterhagen Stations are online, we-"

"Yeah, well I've got a higher authority," Laura said, cutting her off "way above UNIT. And there's one more thing Ross would do…"

**_Next Time: _**_Journey's End: Planet Earth_

**_Then:_**_ Journey's End: The Rueful Fate of Rydel Lynch_

**_After:_**_ The End Of Time_

* * *

**_Like I said, I'll do my best for the next one to be longer and tbh by the looks of it, it is :) _**

**_5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE._**


	48. Journey's End: Planet Earth

_**Journey's End: Planet Earth**_

Human Ross dashed around the TARDIS, looking to Rydel as if he was putting together some little device thing. Rydel looked down at it in his hand "So, what is this thing?" She asked.

"It's our only hope. A Z-Neutrino biological inversion catalyser."

Rydel let out a small laugh, sort of, sarcastic laugh "Yeah. Earth-girl, remember?"

Human Ross rolled his eyes, he couldn't believe that as well as being human he had Rydel's attitude/parts of her personality and he was going to have to live with this for the rest of his life "Davros said he built those Dalek's out of himself. His genetic code runs through the entire race. If I can use this to lock the Crucible's transmission onto Davros himself…"

"It destroys the Dalek's?" Rydel finished off for him, like she already knew it. Which was strange. She's never done that before.

Maybe Ross's crazy knowledge is finally rubbing off on her?

"Biggest backfire in history."

"Incoming transmission," A Dalek said, rolling through the Crucible near the Supreme Dalek "origin: Planet Earth."

"Display." The Supreme Dalek ordered.

The holographic screen appeared once more in front of the Supreme Dalek, and there sat Laura in the Osterhagen Station with Rocky beside her as you could only just see him "This is Laura Marano representing the Unified Intelligence Taskforce on behalf of the Human Race. Can you hear me?" Laura said/asked.

"Send transmission to the vault. Continue to monitor."

Ross and Ratliff turned their heads as the holographic screen appeared with Laura and Rocky on it in the Vault. "This message is for the Dalek Crucible. Repeat: can you hear me?" Laura asked.

"Put me through!" Ross said.

Davros looked up at the screen where Laura and Rocky sat with some sort of smile "It begins as Dalek Caan foretold." He said.

"The Children of Time will gather…" Dalek Caan said "and one of them will die!"

"Stop saying that!" Ross snapped, exasperated "put me through!"

Laura sighed with relief as she saw Ross appear on the screen in front of her, along with some other brown haired guy that was there, but not as relieved to see Davros and whatever else was in the room with him "Ross! I'm sorry. We had to." Laura said.

"OH! But Ross is powerless – my prisoner. State your intent." Davros said.

Rocky took the Osterhagen Key from Laura's hand, holding it up so Davros, Ross and the other guy could see "We've got the Osterhagen Key. Leave this planet and its people alone, or she'll use it…" He said, giving it back to Laura.

Ross looked up at Laura and Rocky on the screen confused "Osterhagen what? What's an Osterhagen Key?"

Rocky looked at Laura with nervousness and back at the screen, obviously knowing Ross was not going to like this one bit "There's a chain of twenty-five nuclear warheads placed in strategic points beneath the Earth's crust…" Rocky started to explain, but Laura started taking over to explain seen as though it was her job to use it and not his.

"If I use the key, they detonate and the Earth gets ripped apart." Laura finished off.

"WHAT?!" Ross shouted, completely appalled and not even knowing what to make of this situation right now "who invented that?! Well – someone called Osterhagen, I suppose – but Laura, are you insane?!"

"The Osterhagen Key is to be used if the suffering of the Human Race is so great, so without hope…" Laura said with effort "that this becomes the final option."

"That's _never_ an option."

"Don't argue with her, Ross." Rocky said abruptly.

"Cos there's more than that," Laura said, like she had an idea in her mind as there was a tiny grin on her face "now, we reckon the Dalek's need these twenty-seven planets for something, but what if it becomes twenty-six? What happens then? Dalek's? Would you risk it?"

Ratliff couldn't help but let out a small laugh, looking up at the screen at Rocky and Laura more than impressed, even he or Ross didn't think of that "Wow… they're good!" Ratliff said with a smile, looking up at the screen.

"Who's that?" Laura asked, becoming confused. She confused as it was seeing the guy stood there, now it was the perfect time to ask wasn't it?

"Oh, my names Ratliff," Ratliff said "Ellington Ratliff."

Laura's mouth dropped open slightly, being quite overcome "Oh, my God… he found you…" she said.

Ratliff looked over from the screen, where he and Ross exchanged a quick glance. "No, really? Your Ratliff he actually found you?" Rocky asked, he then let out a laugh "ha! Maybe now he can stop moping and being—"

"Yes, thank you Rocky." Ross said, cutting him off making Ratliff laugh a little.

"Second transmission internal." A Dalek said from the Crucible Bridge.

"Display." The Supreme Dalek said.

Another holographic screen appeared beside the first one, where it was displaying Riker holding the Warp Star that was connected to a bunch of wires, along beside him Jenna, Ryan and Maia. "Captain Riker Lynch calling all Dalek boys and girls!" Riker said "are you receiving me? Don't send in your goons or I'll set this thing off."

Ratliff looked up at the screen amazed and relieved to see Riker, but not to amazed and relieved to see Jenna there – even though Ryan was there. He was okay with Ryan, but Jenna… no. "He's still alive! Oh, my God, that's –that's my sister! Jenna!"

"And Ryan…" Ross added, becoming even more confused. It was like someone had grabbed his brains and mixed them together like mush "Captain, what are you doing?" He asked.

"I've got a Warp Star wired into the mainframe," Riker said "I break the shell… the entire Crucible goes up."

"You can't! Where did you get a Warp Star!?" Ross asked, as if everyone had gone completely mad and right now… they practically had.

"From me," Maia said, finally starting to speak up "we had no choice, we saw what happened to the prisoners."

"Impossible," Davros said, upon seeing Maia's face, remembering the last time he'd ever saw her "that face… after all these years."

"Davros…" Maia whispered, before talking coldly and furiously "that's been quite a while. Maia Mitchell remember?"

"Oh, this is meant to be," Davros said, positively revelling in this whole thing at everyone who was there "The Circle of Time is closing. You were there on Skaro at the very beginning of my creation."

"And I've learned how to fight since then," Maia said, with a sort of threatening smile, which obviously wasn't going to work on a Dalek "you let Ross go or this Warp Star – it gets opened!"

Ross couldn't even looked up at them all, just by the look on his face you could tell he hated this. "I'll do it," Riker said, tweaking the necklace threateningly "don't imagine I wouldn't!"

Ratliff couldn't help but laugh again "Now, that's what I call a ransom," he then looked over to Ross, noticing his face where his laugh and smile wiped off it "Ross?"

"And prophesy unfolds." Davros said.

"Ross's soul is revealed!" Dalek Caan said, before he started to cackle "see him! See the heart of him!"

Ratliff watched Ross from his holding cell, being unable to just walk freely over to go and comfort him from his holding cell, where Ross was just stood there, alone, and eyes downcast, burdened with unbearable guilt.

Davros just watched the way Ross looked from where he was "The man who abhors violence, never carrying a gun," Davros started "but this is the truth, Ross: you take ordinary people and you _fashion_ them into weapons. Behold your Children of Time transformed into murderers. I made the Dalek's, Ross," he paused "you _made_ this."

"They're trying to help." Ross said, rather quietly and ineffectually.

"Already, I have seen them sacrifice today for their beloved Ross. The Earth girl who fell opening the Subwave Network."

"Who's that?"

"Emily," Ratliff said, looking over at Ross, sort of saddened, well he was saddened because he's known her all his life and now she's dead because of this stupid mess that she could have easily avoided. And they dated for god sake, so of course that's going to make him care more. This made Ross look over at Ratliff stunned. Ratliff sighed "she gave her life to get you here." He finished off.

"I-I'm sorry."

"Yeah… me too." Ratliff said quietly, looking away from Ross.

"How many more?" Davros asked, completely enjoying this "just think. How many have died in your name?"

Ross really couldn't help but remember all of them times, all he could do was stand there, barely being able to hold it together as he trembled and utterly broken. "Ross… the man who keeps running, never looking back, because he dare not, out of shame," Davros continued "this is my final victory, Ross. I have shown you… yourself."

And for the first time, Ross never had an answer to it because Davros was right.

"Enough," The Supreme Dalek snapped "engage defence zero-five."

Rocky held up the Osterhagen Key from Laura's hand aloft "It's the Crucible… or the Earth…" He said.

"Transmat engaged!" A Dalek said.

The transmat snatched Laura and Rocky together from the Osterhagen Station in a beam of white light, making the key fall to the floor. In the side chamber, the transmat also took Riker, Maia, Jenna and Ryan from where they were where the Warp Star also fell to the floor.

The six of them ended up in the Crucible Vault, scattered out across the room. All of them started to pick themselves up off the floor "Laura! I've got you, it's all right—"Rocky said as he helped her up to the floor.

"Don't move! All of you! Stay still!" Ross snapped in panic as they were all starting to move around.

But that didn't stop them as Ryan, Jenna and Maia started to advance, Ross held his hand out to stop them, but it nudged the edge of the holding cell. "Guard them!" Davros ordered "on your knees, all you. Surrender!"

"Do as he says." Ross practically begged. It was bad enough Rydel was gone, and more than likely, dead he didn't anybody else being in that same situation.

The Dalek's started to glade around them – and after a moment, they obeyed, kneeling with their hands behind their heads. "Jenna, I told you not to!" Ratliff said, under his breath with some sort of frustration.

"Yeah, but I couldn't leave you." She said. Ryan raised his hands as the Dalek's pointed at him.

"The final prophesy is in place," Davros said, now that everyone was still and practically trapped and captured "Ross and his children all gathered as witnesses. Supreme Dalek… the time has come!" his voice them started to tremble, with what seemed to be excitement "now…" he then shouted, pointing upwards "detonate the Reality Bomb!"

Fleets of the Dalek ships were lined up around the Crucible, where a door on the side of the Crucible revealed to be the Reality Bomb. "Activate planetary alignment field!" once again, the planets began to shimmer and glow. "Universal reality detonation in two-hundred rels!" The Supreme Dalek said, beginning to count down.

Davros continued to point a shaking finger upwards, with a wild, evil grimace on his face. Ross looked from the screen and over to Davros "You can't, Davros! Just listen to me! Just STOP!" Ross said, becoming very, very, _very_ desperate.

On the other side of the Crucible, the Reality Bomb started glowing brighter which was putting a lot of fear into everyone that was in the room and not a Dalek.

Whereas Dalek Caan, he was just waiting for the right thing at the right time to happen.

Davros roared with laughter "Nothing can stop the detonation! Nothing! And no-one!"

And to the delight and surprise to everyone, they turned their heads at the sound of the TARDIS starting to materialise with the familiar grinding of engines and a gentle wind. "But that's…" Ross said, completely thrown and not even knowing how to finish off the sentence.

Dalek Caan giggled at this, knowing this was going to happen all along no matter what. Meanwhile, Ratliff, Laura and Rocky's mouths just hung open in shock. There was no way Rydel was controlling the TARDIS… was there? "Impossible…" Davros said, almost as shocked as everyone else who was witnessing this.

The TARDIS materialised fully, where the light was shining from the windows "She didn't…" Ross said, as he realised the familiar light from the last time this had happened with Ratliff. But no.

The doors opened to the TARDIS where Human Ross stepped forth out of it, making everyone even more confused. "Brilliant…" Riker said, awed and impressed.

Meanwhile, the original Ross's mouth just hung open with complete disbelief. This made Davros roll back, afraid; once Human Ross was out of the TARDIS he started running towards Davros with the device in his hand. "Don't!" Ross shouted in panic.

But it was too late, Davros had pointed at him and electricity flew out from his finger and hit Human Ross in the chest. He fell to the floor, only being winded and not badly hurt – which was a good thing. "Activate holding cell." Davros said. A holding cell then sprung up around Human Ross.

Rydel then came running out of the TARDIS, much to Ross, Riker and Ratliff's surprise as they thought she was dead "Ross!" She picked up the device that was now on the floor "I've got it! But I don't know what to do!"

Once again, it was too late for Rydel to do anything.

Davros pointed his finger at her, where once again Davros sent her flying backwards with electrical energy, the same which he hit Human Ross with. Rydel smacked off some control panel "RYDEL!" Ross shouted with horror. Davros couldn't help but grin as Rydel fell to the floor in a heap at the end of the Vault – now she was dead. "Rydel! Are you alright? Rydel?!" Ross asked completely in panic, just seeing her lying there making no sort of movement "no…"

Ratliff was just completely stunned. "Destroy the weapon!" Davros said. A Dalek then fired a death-ray at the device, which exploded. Now giving the Earth no hope in surviving. "I was wrong about your warriors, Ross. They are pathetic."

Ratliff looked over at the real Ross "How come they're two of you?" He asked.

"Human biological metacrisis. Never mind that, now we've got no way of stopping the Reality Bomb!" Ross said, completely defeated. Everyone was completely defeated.

"Detonation in twenty rels! Nineteen…" The Supreme Dalek said, beginning to count down again.

"Stand witness, Time Lord. Stand witness, humans," Davros said, activating the holographic screen displaying the 27 planets. He then spoke mockingly "your strategies have failed, your weapons are useless, and… oh – the end of the universe has come."

All of them watched the screen where the planets were, breathing heavily in complete dreadful anticipation, being completely and utterly powerless.

"Nine… eight… seven… six…"

Slightly breathless, Rydel pulled herself upright behind a control panel.

"Five…"

Throughout the countdown, the company exchanged glances and braced themselves for what was about to happen.

"Four…"

Ratliff looked up to the screen from Ross, with his mouth slightly hung open and looking completely horrified.

"Three…"

Laura wanted to look away from the screen but she couldn't, her eyes were just fixed to it as she could have sworn she was going to cry but she wasn't. Rocky tried his best to control his breathing, even though it was just getting heavier and heavier.

"Two…"

Jenna slowly shut her eyes. Ryan just practically braced himself as he was about to watch on the screen, the end to unfold along with Riker and Maia. As for Ross, he didn't know what to feel any more. After so many times of saving the Earth from ending and danger…

He couldn't save it this time.

"One."

All of a sudden…

The bomb powered down and the screen went dead. An alarm started sounding around the whole Crucible, Dalek's, companions, Human Ross and the other Ross looking around in confusion at what the hell just happened. Even though they weren't complaining at how the plan for Davros had failed.

"Oh… closing all Z-Neutrino relay loops using an internalised synchronous back-feed reversal look!" Rydel said, speaking with confidence nobody – not even Ross – had ever heard her speak with before. She then flicked a switched as if it was easy "that button there!" She smiled, shrugging like it was nothing that she knew this.

"System in shut down!" A Dalek said, turning away from a wall where the Reality Bomb was.

"Detonation negative."

"Explain! Explain! EXPLAIN!" The Supreme Dalek said.

"Rydel, you can't even change a plug…" Ross said, completely bemused and shocked by what she was doing and what was happening.

"Do you wanna bet, Time Boy?" Rydel asked, grinning.

Davros looked over at Rydel "You will suffer for this." HE said, holding up his hand again.

Rydel cocked her head on one side as if she doesn't think so, somehow. She flicked a switch which electrocuted Davros' arm making him shriek. "Oh…! Bioelectric dampening field with a retrogressive arc inversion." She said, again like it was nothing.

"Exterminate her!" Davros shouted furiously.

Ross became fearful as some of the Dalek's started to advance on Rydel, but Rydel didn't look bothered in the slightest – she merely pressed a few buttons, flicking a few switches. The Dalek's powered down, their blaster-guns twitching uncontrollably. "Weapons non-functional!" A Dalek said.

"What? Macro-transmission of a K-filter wavelength blocking Dalek weaponry in a self-replicating energy blindfold matrix?" Rydel asked in such a cocky tone, it was unbelievable.

Ross just stared at Rydel, completely amazed – but scared for her at the same time "How did you work that out? You—"

"Time Lord," Human Ross said, looking from Rydel over to the real Ross with a slight smile "Part Time Lord."

"Part human!" Rydel said, completely loving it. All this knowledge and great things bubbling away in her mind, along with the other things that were in Ross's mind "Oh, yes! That was a two-way biological metacrisis. Half Ross… half Rydel!"

Ross stared at Rydel, realising "Time Lord Rydel… just like the Ood said, remember? They saw it coming! Time Lord Rydel."

Rydel smiled at Ross before flicking some switches "Holding cells deactivated," She said, where then the holding cells Ross, Ratliff and Human Ross were in just disappeared "And seal the Vault," she looked over at Ross and the other Ross "well, don't just stand there, you skinny little blondes – get to work!"

Both Ross's then dashed to join Rydel at the control panel. "Stop them! Get them away from the controls!" Davros yelled.

The Dalek's started advancing on the three of them. "And… spin…" Rydel said, flicking a switch.

All of the Dalek's that were in the room then started to spin around in a circle "Help me. Help me." A Dalek said. Riker chuckled as he watched the Dalek's spinning on the spot uncontrollably. "And… the other way!" Rydel said, pressing a button, turning a dial – they spun around the other way, their upper and lower halves facing in different directions.

"What did you do?" Human Ross asked.

"Trip-stitch circuit-breaker in the psycho-kinetic threshold manipulator."

Human Ross beamed "But that's brilliant."

Ross looked over his human self "Why did we never think of that?" He asked.

"Because you two…" Rydel said, pointing to them both "were just Time Lords! You Dumbo's. Lacking that little bit human, that gut instinct that goes hand-in-hand with planet Earth," she sighed, speaking so excitedly as she was loving every single second of this "I could think of ideas that you two couldn't dream of in a million years! Ah, the universe has been waiting for me!" she beamed, smiling so happily and proudly "now… let's send that trip-stitch all over the ship. Did I ever tell you-"she gestured to herself "best temp in Chiswick?" she wiggled her fingers before typing in motion "a hundred words per minute!"

Riker darted into the TARDIS. "Come on then, boys," Rydel said, looking between Ross and Human Ross "we've got twenty-seven planets to send home. Activate magnetron."

"Stop it at once!" Davros yelled.

Riker quickly emerged from the TARDIS with his and Ratliff's gun in each hand "Ryan!" He called, throwing Ratliff's gun to him.

"You will desist!"

Ryan caught the gun just in time before halting Davros, gun pointed at his face "Just stay where you are, Mr…" he said.

Riker went to go aim his gun, but there was a Dalek behind him that was getting in his way "Out of the way!" He yelled, kicking the Dalek where it was sent off flying down the room, babbling to itself where it thudded off the opposite wall and disappeared down the hallway of the Vault.

Rocky and Laura pushed one away from them too, each.

"Ready?" Rydel asked, both Ross's "and reverse!" she and the Ross's eased out two rods each on the controls.

In the Medusa Cascade, the planets started disappearing in flashes of light one by one. "Off you go, Clom." Ross said.

"Back home, Adipose Three!" the Human Ross said.

"Shallacatop! Pyrovillia! The Lost Moon of Poosh!" Rydel said, flicking two switches with her hands, and one with her foot "topping. Ha!"

"Ha!"

The planets continued to disappear out of the Medusa Cascade. Ratliff walked over to where the two Ross's were along with Rydel, with Jenna close behind him with Riker "Is anyone gonna tell us what's going on?" Ratliff asked.

Rydel gestured to the original Ross "He poured all his regeneration energy into his spare hand, I touched the hand-"she then gestured to Human Ross who grinned "-he grew out of that, but that fed back into me. But, it just stayed dormant in my head till the synapses got that little extra spark, kicking them into life. Thank you Davros!" she explained "Part Human… part Time Lord. And I got the best bit of Ross. I got his mind."

"So there's THREE of you?" Maia asked.

"I can't tell you what I'm thinking right now…" Riker said distractedly.

"You're so unique that the timelines were converging on you," Ross said, looking at Rydel "Human Being with a Time Lord brain."

Davros turned around, looking over at Dalek Caan "But you promised me, Dalek Caan. Why did you not foresee this?"

That was when Dalek Caan started giggling again. "Oh, I think he did," Ross said, also looking at Caan "something's been manipulating the timelines for ages… getting Rydel Lynch to the right place at the right time."

"This would've always happened," Dalek Caan said "I only helped, Ross."

"You… betrayed the Dalek's?" Davros asked.

"I SAW the Dalek's," Dalek Caan went on "what we have done throughout time and space. I saw the truth of us, Creator, and I decreed 'no more'."

"I will descend to the Vault!" The Supreme Dalek said.

Riker looked up to the ceiling "Heads up…"

The Supreme Dalek then descended down into the Vault "Davros, you have betrayed us."

"It was Dalek Caan!" Davros protested.

"The Vault will be purged! You will be exterminated!" the Supreme Dalek sent a death-ray towards the central column causing sparks to fly.

"Like I was saying, feel this!" Riker said, using his gun to blast the Supreme Dalek in half and dead.

Ross ran over to the central column "Oh, we've lost the magnetron! And there's only one planet left, oh" he started laughing at how typical it was "guess which one. Look, we can use the TARDIS!" Ross then quickly ran into it, once he was inside he started pressing various buttons on the console.

Human Ross continued flicking switches "Holding Earth Stability... maintaining atmospheric shell."

"The prophecy must complete." Dalek Caan said.

"Don't listen to him." Davros said.

Dalek Caan ignored Davros "I have seen the end of everything Dalek, and you must make it happen, Ross."

Human Ross seemed to be captured by his words "He's right. Because with or without a Reality Bomb, this Dalek Empire's big enough to slaughter the cosmos," he said, making Rydel uneasy but he seemed to reach a decision "they've got to be stopped."

"Just—just wait for Ross." Rydel said hurriedly.

He looked at Rydel "I am Ross," he then started getting to work "maximising Dalekanium power feeds. Blasting them back!"

One by one, the Dalek's started to explode.

**_Next Time:_ **Journey's End: The Rueful Fate of Rydel Lynch

**_After:_ **The End Of Time {Part 1}

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**Originally it was longer, but I decided to add the next part in with "The Rueful Fate Of Rydel Lynch" instead of this one because it was getting too long and i know how lazy you guys are when it comes to long chapters for this story.**

_**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_


	49. The Rueful Fate of Rydel Lynch

**I'm so sorry that is all I am saying right now for what your all about to read. **

**Remember... Murder is illegal. Okay? cx**

**ALSO: this IS a VERY long chapter... almost 8,000 words but for fuck sake... FUCKING READ IT. IT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT CHAPTER. if you don't read it, you'll be confused as fuck when you read "The End Of Time" arc. You REALLY will. So don't be lazy and just. fucking. read. it.**

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**_Journey's End: The Rueful Fate of Rydel Lynch_**

The air onboard the Dalek Crucible soon became thick with exploding Dalek's as they were quickly working their way into extinction forever. Hearing the explosions coming from outside, Ross looked up in alarm from inside the TARDIS before bolting out of it, seeing the chaos that was going on and happening "What've you done?!" Ross asked horrified, looking over at the human version of himself just knowing it was him.

"Fulfilling the prophecy." Human Ross just said simply.

After the Dalek's were done exploding, next the ships started expoloding with remaining Dalek's on them which meant the ship they were on was going to explode and it was only a matter of time before it did.

In Torchwood base, the Dalek that was outside of the Time Lock exploded as well as the Time Lock itself. Gwen and Ianto shielded their faces for a moment whilst it happened "There goes the Time Lock." Gwen said with some kind of relief.

Everyone who was inside the Vault of the Dalek Crucible was sent flying around as flames and explosions started up around the room, whereas Human Ross was just looking upon this chaos with a wild expression in his eyes. "DO you know what you've done?! Now, get in the TARDIS!" Ross yelled over the commotion, the Human version of Ross then ran into the TARDIS which was soon followed by everyone else "everyone! All of you inside, run! In, in, in, in, in!"

Human Ross ushered everyone inside the TARDIS from the TARDIS door as they ran inside one by one closely behind everyone "Maia! Ratliff! Jenna! Riker! Ryan! Laura! Rocky! Rydel!" He said as they all ran past him.

Ross squinted through the fire in the Crucible over to where Davros was and Dalek Caan was all the way in the background, the least he could do was attempt to save Davros. There was no way he could save Dalek Caan, even though he was now a good guy, because of him being trapped and wired up on the platform he was on "Davros?" Ross said, urgently, holding out his hand "come with me! I promise I can save you!"

Davros didn't even bother to comprehend what had just been said to him, instead he chose to ignore it and go down with the Dalek's "Never forget, Ross – YOU did this! I name YOU, forever, YOU are the Destroyer of Worlds!" he screamed as he was engulfed by the flames.

"One will still die." Dalek Caan said all the way from over where he was.

Ross looked over at Dalek Caan a little bit saddened at the fact he couldn't save him and himself in time before this place blew up… and at the fact someone was going to die still when they'd saved everyone. And if he was honest…

Ross had a pretty good idea who was going to die now.

He turned around and went back into the unusually crowded TARDIS where everyone was gathered around the console "And! Off we go!" He said, pulling a lever where the TARDIS shuddered as it started and they all fell about, hanging onto the console for support.

As the TARDIS flew away from the Crucible, in the back ground it exploded into atoms with nothing left.

It was official, the Dalek's were extinct and never coming back.

Which was a refreshing relief for everyone.

"But what about the Earth?" Maia asked, standing on the other side of the console between Human Ross and Ryan "it's stuck in the wrong part of space!"

"I'm on it," Ross said - who was stood in between Ratliff and Rocky – before speaking into the monitor "Torchwood Hub, this is Ross. Are you receiving me?" he asked. Ratliff leaned over to the side a bit so he could see the monitor also, Ross moved it so he could. It'd been a while since the two of them looked at that thing together let alone be on the TARDIs.

"Loud and clear." Gwen said from the computer in Torchwood "is Riker there?"

Ross glanced at Riker "Can't get rid of him," he joked. He then pointed at Gwen "Riker, what's her name?" He asked.

"Gwen Cooper." Riker answered.

"Tell me, Gwen Cooper, are you from an old Cardiff family?" Ross asked, as she looked like someone who he and Ratliff had met a while back when they went back in time to old Cardiff. The resemblance was way too uncanny between them and judging by the look on Ratliff's face he remembered and was obviously thinking the same.

Gwen and Ianto glanced at each other before looking back at the monitor where they could see Ross and Ratliff "Yes. All the way back to the eighteen-hundreds." Gwen said, not seeing the relevance to the subject.

Ross and Ratliff then peered at each other in delight, knowing they were both right and thinking the same thing "Thought so," Ross said, he then turned to Ratliff "spatial genetic multiplicity…"

"Oh, yeah!" Ratliff said, appreciatively.

"Yeah, yeah! It's a funny old world!" Ross said, still looking at Ratliff with a smile and him doing the same.

Jenna, Ryan, Rocky and Laura just looked at Ross and Ratliff in near enough the same way and were all thinking the same thing. If Ratliff doesn't stay with him now that he found his way back, they will literally raise hell just now it was obvious how happy they made each other and if they didn't stay together now then… the four of them would have to cause hell and let it all break loose.

Ross then snapped out of it, looking back at the screen with Ratliff "Now, Torchwood, I want you to open up that Rift Manipulator – send all the power to me."

"Doing it now, sir." Ianto said, getting to work with Gwen.

Rocky looked at Ross with a little puzzlement "What's that for?" He asked.

"It's a tow-rope. Now then, Maia – what's your son's name?" Ross asked.

"Luke, he's called Luke," Maia answered almost straight away "and the computers called Mr Smith."

"Calling Luke and Mr Smith!"

Luke jumped up from where he had been sitting dejectedly in the attic at the sound of a voice coming through the computer. "Come on, Luke, shake a leg!" Ross said.

Luke walked over in front of the computer "Is Mom there?"

"Oh, she's fine and dandy—"

Maia laughed with relief to hear Luke's voice "Yes! Yes!"

"Now, Mr Smith, I want you to harness the Rift power and loop it round the TARDIS, you got that?" Ross asked.

"I regret I will need remote access to the TARDIS base-code numerals." Mr Smith said.

Ross sighed in frustration "Oh, God. That's gonna take a while…"

Maia darted round from the monitor from where she was, standing where Ratliff was who had taken a step back "No, no, no! Let me! K-9, out you come!"

Luke watched on the floor as K-9 appeared, a small metal robot dog. "Affirmative, Mistress!"

Ross laughed delightedly "Oh, good dog!" He smiled "K-9, give Mr Smith the base-code!"

"Master. TARDIS base-code now being transferred." K-9 said, letting a small pole come out of him and attach itself to the computer, where the base-code was displayed on Mr Smith "the process is simple."

Ross then stepped away from the monitor, letting Maia and Ratliff go back to where they were originally stood "Now then, you lot –"Ross said, guiding Maia back to where she was originally stood "Maia – hold that," he said, pointing to something on the console of the TARDIS "and Ryan – you hold that." he said, doing the same thing, getting him to press something on the console.

Ryan pressed what he wanted him to press before looking back at Ross "You're not gonna make me do this for half an hour again are you and say I didn't need to do it again, are you?" Ryan joked, making Ross laugh as well as Ratliff before Ross slapped the side of Ryan's head.

Ross then returned to doing what he was originally doing before Ryan had interrupted him with his little comment "Because, you know why this TARDIS is always rattling about the place? Ratliff – that there," he said, indicating to a control as he walked around the console to everyone individually apart from his human self and Rydel who didn't really need to do anything "it was designed to have about six or seven pilots and I have to do it single handed. Rocky – that there, Laura – keep that level. But not anymore!" He smiled, seen as though there were more than enough to fly this thing now "Riker – there you go, steady that. Now we can fly this thing—"

Ross stopped, seeing Jenna was next to do something and he hesitated "No, Jenna. No, no. Not you," he patted Jenna's shoulders "don't touch anything, just… stand back," he then resumed to going back to what he was explaining before whilst Jenna just nodded to him with a bemused look on her face "-like it's meant to be flown! We've got the Torchwood Rift looped around the TARDIS by Mr Smith. We're gonna fly planet Earth back home," he then took his place next to Ratliff on the console "right, then! Off we go!"

He pulled a lever on the console, and off they went.

The Earth then was quite literally starting to be pulled along by the TARDIS, right out of the Medusa Cascade.

Luke clung onto K-9, whooping with delight as the whole house shook – along with the entire Earth – but not too violently as it was being pulled along.

Gwen and Ianto stood holding on tight, cheering with plaster falling from the ceiling as well as papers and god knows what else falling from shelf's and desks.

The light fittings shook and glass smashed as Wilfred and Sylvia hung onto each other, with no clue as to what was going on and why everything was shaking, smashing and falling over all of sudden.

Francine was the same as Sylvia and Wilf except she'd taken refuge from the tremor under the table, pieces of paper falling around her and the sound of glass and whatever else falling off tables, shelf's etc. breaking.

The TARDIS started to gain more speed as it towed the Earth along.

Inside the TARDIS, it hardly shook at all as Ross and everyone else – who were practically his one and only family now, let's face it – worked as a flawless team. Rydel and Human Ross strolled around the console, watching them work. "Ratliff…" Ross said, gesturing to a button.

Riker pumped a lever on the console whilst Laura grinned excitedly and Rocky continued on doing what he was doing, looking around and giving happy smiles to everyone as they done so. Maia pulled down a lever slowly. "That's really good, Riker. I think you're the best." Rydel said, as she watched Riker and walked by him giving him sort of a flirty look.

Jenna giggled with happiness and excitement as Rydel joined Human Ross and they leaned against a support beam, chuckling.

And finally, the Earth was set back in its rightful position by the Moon where the TARDIS drifted from it.

When the TARDIS stopped and began to drift away, everyone stopped what they were doing whooping and cheering and started to all hug each other, completely and absolutely ecstatic as they all had done it, saved the Earth and put it back where it belonged. Ross went straight over to Ratliff and basically engulfed him into his arms, spinning him about whereas everyone else went to whoever. Laura jumped with excitement as she brought Rocky and Riker into a hug into her arms, whereas Maia hugged Ryan etc. and Jenna hugged Riker as soon as he came out of a hug from Laura.

Once Ratliff had finally came out of his hug with Ross, he turned around where he stood Laura stood there, Laura looked where she saw Ratliff stood there in front of her. Even though she had some sort of grudge against him – when she hadn't even met him – when she first met Ross because she let her feelings for him get in the way of her she was glad he was here, cause he made it a whole lot better for Ross she thinks. Ratliff grinned at Laura with a smile, she smiled big at him before he then brought Laura into his arms, picking her up for a hug and Laura hugged back. When he came out of the hug with Laura, he then moved onto Rocky and whoever else he hadn't hugged yet.

Rydel finished hugging everyone – except for Riker – she looked over to where she saw Riker and Maia hugging together, so she went over and wrenched Maia away from Riker before throwing her arms around him. Riker just laughed as he wrapped his arms around Rydel.

Sylvia opened up the curtains reluctantly, and she screamed in delight when the daylight flooded in from outside where she and Wilf threw their arms around one another and jumped up and down for joy, cheering that they were finally back home.

Francine emerged from her house to the outside front garden, gazing up at the blue sky with a huge smile, spinning on the spot.

Everything was back to normal and better than ever now.

And that's all anybody could have ever asked for.

The TARDIS materialised in a park near to where everyone basically lived. Ross and Maia emerged from the TARDIS, seeing the sunlight taking over around them and hazing at the normality of their surroundings – and not far away a church bell rang. Maia turned to Ross, smiling brightly at him "You know… you act like such a lonely guy. But look at you! You've got the biggest family on Earth!" She said, so full of happiness.

Ross smiled at Maia as she opened up her arms for a hug, he done as she pleased before hugging her tightly for a couple seconds. Maia let go of the hug suddenly and started to back away "Gotta go! He's only fourteen!" Maia called, as she was getting further and further away from Ross "it's a long story! And thank you!"

Ross smiled warmly at Maia and waved, she waved back at him and soon enough she turned around and started running down the pathway of the park.

Meanwhile, everyone was milling around the TARDIS talking, apart from Rydel who was on the phone to someone. Jenna sighed, looking at Ryan who was in front of her "Are you alright?" She asked softly.

Ryan nodded, with a sad facial expression "I'm gonna miss you…" He said "more than anyone."

"What do you mean?" Jenna asked confused "Ross is gonna take us home, isn't he?"

"But… that's the point." Ryan said, knowing what "home" meant for him, Jenna and Ratliff. Jenna nodded, understanding before they shared one last hug together.

"I _told_ you, no teleport," Ross said, disabling Riker's teleport with the sonic screwdriver, with also Rocky and Laura stood on either side of him "And Rocky, Laura, get rid of that Osterhagen thing, eh? Save the world one more time."

"That's Laura's job now," Rocky said, looking at her and back at Ross "I think I'm gonna hang around on Earth home where Rydel lives for a little while before I go back with Laura to UNIT." Ross nodded.

So did Laura. She then looked at Ross, smiling "Consider it done, Ross." She said.

Riker saluted Ross, as did Laura and seen as though he was the only one not doing it Rocky decided to do the same. Ross gave them a small salute back. The three of them then turned away, Riker taking Laura's hand "You know, I'm not sure about UNIT, these days," Riker said to Laura "maybe there's something else you could be doing."

Ross smiled after the three of their retreating backs, but shook his head with a playful smile as he heard what Riker had just said to Laura. Typical Riker Anthony Lynch. He turned around where he saw Ryan emerging from the TARDIS "Oi!" Ross said, stopping him "where are you going?"

Ryan rolled his eyes "Well, I'm not stupid – I can work out what happens next," He said, knowing what Ross knew what he meant also "and hey, I had a good time in that parallel world but my Gran passed away. Nice and peaceful. Spent her last years living in a mansion. There's nothing there for me, now. Certainly not Ratliff, sure he's my best friend and all but… you know. I love him to pieces I do, but you know." He shrugged.

Ross nodded, understanding what he meant "What will you do?"

"Anything! Brand new life. Just you watch," Ryan said with his usual smug, cunning smile. He and Ross then knocked fists together, like they always use to do when they travelled in the TARDIS together, along with Ratliff but the fist knocking thing was Ryan and Ross's thing "see you, boss." He winked at Ross before running up to catch up with Riker, Rocky and Laura "Hey, you two!"

Riker sighed in mock exasperation "Oh… I thought I got rid of you."

Ross then turned back to the TARDIS, going inside. He walked over to the console.

"There's time for one last trip. Dårlig Ulv Stranden."

Human Ross then looked at the normal Ross, knowing what that meant and a certain person was definitely not going to like that one bit.

"Better known as…"

**_BAD WOLF BAY  
Parallel World_**

The TARDIS materialised on the sand of Bad Wolf bay, on a day just like the one when Ross and Ratliff were saying goodbye for the first time. All sad, depressing, windy and dark with only a little bit of sun coming through the clouds. "Ugh, fat lot of good this is!" Jenna said in disgust as herself, Human Ross, Ratliff, Rydel and Ross came out of the TARDIS "back of beyond, bloody Norway! I'm gonna have to phone Matty… he's on the nursery run."

Ratliff just twisted and turned his head in utter confusion.

What the hell was he doing back here?

Oh no.

No way.

There was no way in hell he was going through this again.

"I was pregnant, do you remember?" Jenna asked, turning to Human Ross "had a baby boy!" she said as Ross and Rydel stepped onto the beach.

Human Ross nodded with a small smile "Ah, brilliant! What did you call him?"

Jenna shrugged "Called him Ryan."

"Really…?" Human Ross asked, not sure what to make of it. What was so exciting about naming a baby after one of your best friends? He was at least half expecting for her to name the baby after the Dad seen as though he's not in the parallel world.

Jenna laughed "No, you plum. I called him Ross after you!" she smiled.

"Hold on," Ratliff said, raising his hand as it had finally sunk into him "this is the parallel universe, right?"

"You're back home." Ross said.

Rydel stepped forwards next to Ross as she spoke "And the walls of the worlds are closing again… now that the Reality Bomb never happened. Its dimension retro-closure," She said, Human Ross smiled at how Rydel was getting all of this now "see, I really get that stuff now." Rydel said with a small smile, looking at the regular Ross.

"No, but I spent all that time trying to find you, I'm not going back now!" Ratliff said, completely bewildered and close to tears.

Ross stepped towards him "But you've got to. Because we saved the universe, but at a cost. And the cost is him," Ross said, looking at Human Ross "he destroyed the Dalek's. He committed genocide. He's too dangerous to be left on his own."

"You made me!" Human Ross said, confused and a little angry.

"Exactly, you were born in battle – full of blood and anger and revenge," Ross then looked at Ratliff with a small smile "remind you of someone?" he asked, Ratliff knew exactly who he meant – Ross – but he wouldn't say it "that's me," he said, directing at human Ross "me when we both first met, remember that?" he asked, seeing Ratliff was looking at him with tears in his eyes "and you made me better. And now you can do the same for him."

"But he's not you." Ratliff said, quietly and tearfully frustrated.

"He needs you," Ross said, letting a small, yet weak smile form on his lips "that's very me…" he admitted.

"But it's better than that, though," Rydel said "don't you see what he's trying to give you?" She asked before looking at Human Ross "tell him, go on."

Ratliff turned around and faced Human Ross. "I look like him and I think like him…" Human Ross said "same memories, same thoughts, same everything. Except, I've only got one heart."

"Which means?" Ratliff asked.

"I'm part human. Specifically the aging part. I'll grow old and never move onto another life. I've only got one life… Ellington Ratliff," he paused, letting a lingering look take over both of them for a second "I could spend it with you, if you want."

"You'll grow—grow old at the same time as me?" Ratliff asked, becoming a little uncertain.

"Together."

Ratliff put a hand to his chest, feeling his one and only heart beating where Ross and Rydel just watched with small smiles – even if Ross's was faked a little bit. A grinding sound from the TARDIS made them all turn around. "We've gotta go," Ross said, referring to him and Rydel "this reality's sealing itself off," he said, seeing a tear roll down Ratliff's face "forever…"

He and Rydel then turned around to go back to the TARDIS, but Ratliff went after them "But it's still not right," Ratliff said, making them both turn around "Because… Ross's… still you…" Ratliff said quietly exasperated.

Ross nodded towards the Human Ross "And I'm him."

Ratliff nodded, just deciding to accept the fact Ross was going to leave him to grow old and love a Human version of him.

But he wasn't letting Ross leave without answering this.

"Before you go, I want you to answer me this," Ratliff said, stepping towards him closely "and unless you want things between us two to leave off on a bad note forever, I suggest you do answer it." he said.

Ross nodded, whatever it was surely Ross would be able to answer it without them leaving off on a bad note.

"When I last stood on this beach on the worst day of my life… what was the last thing you said to me?" He asked, making Ross fall a little bit silent "go on, say it."

Ross sighed "I said Ellington Ratliff."

"Yeah," Ratliff said, looking at him expectantly "and how was that sentence going to end…?"

"Does it need saying?" Ross asked, as if he was in enough pain already.

"YES! Yes it does unless you want to leave us two off on a bad note..! Forever."

Ross nodded, seen as though there was no way he was getting out of this he might as well just say it, right? He put his hand on Ratliff's arm and leant down over to his ear, whispering something obviously intimately into his ear. Just three little words which were in fact: I love you. He pulled away from his ear after he said it, just looking directly at Ratliff. Ratliff just stared at Ross for a couple of seconds with some sort of small smile that was desperate to form on his lips, but instead he pulled Ross towards him by the sides of his jacket and kissed him on the lips.

Human Ross just took a step back towards Jenna, letting them both just enjoy their little moment seen as though that Ross was practically him and it was the last time they were ever going to see each other obviously. Rydel let a smile creep up on her lips before she turned around and headed back inside of the TARDIS.

Ratliff wrapped his arms around Ross as he done the same to Ratliff, returning the kiss back to him as soon as their lips came into contact. To be honest, it was the first kiss they had together where it actually meant something. Not none of them being possessed by an evil spirit from bloody Camelot, not one of them being possessed by some she devil named Cassandra, and not Ross having to pull out the vortex from inside Ratliff before it killed him. Nope.

It was just an ordinary kiss shared between two lovers.

And it was also their last.

When Ross and Ratliff both heard the TARDIS doors shut, they both pulled away slowly. Ross looked at Ratliff one last time as they stood close together, he took several steps back – giving Ratliff a small weak smile before turning around fully and heading back to the TARDIS, looking out of the door and over to him, as well as Jenna, for one last time. He shut the door and made his way over to the console.

Ratliff watched from a short distance away as the TARDIS dematerialised as he could only watch it fade away forever for one final time. Never to be seen again. The Human Ross walked over to Ratliff and slipped his hand inside of his, where then they both looked at each other.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad spending the rest of his life with a Human version of Ross.

In the TARDIS, as it was in flight, Rydel adjusted the monitor, pottering around the controls on the console as Ross was leaning against a support, watching Rydel with awful sorrow in his eyes as he felt like he was going to break down. Just watching her… being this… Time Lord Rydel made him sad and sorrowed. Not because she was now a Time Lord… but because of something else which Rydel will just have to understand.

Rydel spoke as she walked around the TARDIS, completely oblivious to how Ross looked and was feeling "I thought we could try the planet Felspoon…" Rydel said, speaking conversationally – a little bit too like Ross when he's off on one "just cos. apparently it's got mountains that sway in the breeze. Mountains that move. Can you imagine?" she twisted a knob on the console unnecessarily.

"And how do you know that?" Ross asked quietly.

"Because it's in your head!" Rydel said, looking at Ross, still not noticing how he looked "and if it's in your head, it's in mine."

"And how does that feel?"

"Brilliant! Fantastic! Molto bene! Great big universe packed into my brain," she then looked at Ross once more with a smug smile. But then something happened "you know you could fix that chameleon circuit if you just try and hot-bind in the fragment links and superseding the binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary—"Rydel kept on repeating and repeating over and over, as if it was paining her to do so. He then took a deep breath "I'm fine!" she said, with a fake smile. Obviously lying.

Ross straightened up from leaning on the support beam, with his brow furrowed in sadness rather than confusion. Rydel just went on talking, trying to avoid what Ross was probably going to say to her "Nah, never-mind Felspoon. You know who I'd like to meet? Charlie Chaplin. Shall we do that? Shall we go and see Charlie Chaplin?" she picked up a phone, pretending to speak into it "shall we? Charlie Chaplin? Charlie Chester, Charlie Brown," she then put down the phone "no, he's fiction, friction, fiction, fixen, mixen, rixten, brixton—"Rydel gasped for breath, doubling over as if she was winded, Ross walked over to her closely "oh, my God…" Rydel said, holding her head as she was still doubled over.

Ross sighed, looking down at Rydel sadly "Do you know what's happening?" He asked.

Rydel looked up, unwilling to admit it but there it was "Yeah…"

"There's never been a Human-Time Lord metacrisis before now. And you know why." Ross said in a low voice.

Rydel looked at her eyes, speaking quietly as her eyes became moist with tears "Because there can't be," she then averted her eyes from his, pretending to be busy with the controls "I want to stay."

"Look at me," Ross said, but she wouldn't "Rydel, look at me."

She then looked at Ross with a certain defiance, shaking "I was gonna be with you… forever," Rydel said in a sort of sad whispered tone "the rest of my life…"

Ross nodded "I know." He whispered gently.

"Travelling," She added, with a small sad smile, but returned to a sad smile as her eyes just became even moister with tears "in the TARDIS… Time Lord Rydel." She stared at Ross for a couple of seconds, but then… it just dawned on Rydel what this now meant for her "No. oh, my God…" She said, looking up and down at Ross as now tears were on the brink of her eye lids.

He wasn't going to do that to her.

Rydel shook her head, backing away from him as her eyes filled more up with tears and Ross stepped towards Rydel, taking her by the shoulders "I can't go back," Rydel said, her voice breaking with sadness and starting to tremble "don't make me go back. Ross… please. Please, don't make me go back…" Rydel begged, trying not to break down with tears.

Ross looked at Rydel in the eyes, looking more saddened than ever "Rydel…" he said, sadly himself "oh, Rydel Lynch. I am so, so sorry."

Rydel then looked up at Ross after looking down in a fearful panic as she trembled and tears that were obviously going to spill down her face some time soon, it was like her heart was being broken into pieces. "But we had the best of times," Ross smiled slightly "the best…" he repeated as the smile wiped off his face and was replaced with a sad one.

Rydel looked down again as the tears spilled down her cheeks and she shook slightly.

"Goodbye…" Ross whispered.

Rydel became frantic as tears fell rapidly down her face as Ross placed his fingers on her temples and closed his eyes "No. No, please!" Rydel begged, continuing to shake and let tears fall "please! No, NO! No!"

Images from Rydel and Ross's adventures started flashing backwards from now in quick succession—

_"Oi! Watch it, spaceman!"_

_"Oi! Watch it, Earth-girl!" 'Ross' said, matching exactly the same way Rydel had said what she had just said "Oh!" both of them then stared at each other, with their mouths in identical 'Oh!' shapes_

_As Rydel moved her eyes to look back at Ross, her body language tightened a little bit when she looked behind Ross, just by chance. The sides of Rydel's mouth twitched as she tried her best not to smile, she just looked back at Ross with a straight face._

_"Why don't you ask him yourself?"_

_Ross furrowed his brow at Rydel in confusion, not knowing what she meant by this. Did she mean it sarcastically? Or was she just being clever to him like she normally was? Rydel just couldn't hold back her smile anymore, she let the smile take over her face as she let her gaze fall back behind Ross over his shoulder at the far end of the street._

_Rydel looked up at Ross as though she hadn't seen him in years – which in a way she guess she hadn't seen him for years. Only dead on a stretcher. She then went over to him and threw her arms around him, gasping in relief "Oh, God!" She said, hugging him tightly._

_Ross laughed as he hugged her back._

_Rydel let out a small laugh with a small smile "Can't imagine you without a voice."_

_"Molto bene." Ross said with a weak smile._

_"Molto bene!" Rydel teased him._

_"Aw no, Rydel," Ross said, putting his arm around her and pulling her close "your different. I promise. I'm not just saying that, you literally are," he said with a small laugh "your funny and make me laugh, it'd be a shame for you to leave me."_

_Rydel smiled a little "Thanks."_

_Rydel folded her arms "What, and you're in charge?"_

_"TARDIS, Time Lord… yeah."_

_"Rydel, human… no!" Rydel said, voice raised "I don't need your permission. I'll tell them myself."_

_"You stand in the marketplace and announce the end of the world, they'll just think you're a mad old soothsayer. Now, come on. TARDIS, we are getting out of here."_

_Instead of doing as Ross said, Rydel turned around and stormed off quickly "Well, I might just have something to say about that, spaceman!"_

_"Oh, I bet you will!" Ross snapped in the same way Rydel did, running up to her and grabbing her, flinging Rydel over his shoulder._

_"OI!" Rydel shouted, punching his back as she hung over his back "put me down!"_

_"Nope."_

_Rydel sighed, rolling her eyes where she looked over to the window opposite her where she saw… Ross. Ross also looked through the window where he saw Rydel through the window on the door, both of them became stunned._

_"Rydel?" Ross asked, mouthing/miming through the window._

_Rydel's mouth fell open, but more in amazement and happiness "ROSS!"_

_"But… what? Wha… What?!"_

_"OH. MY. GOD."_

_Once he had done a full circle around the TARDIS and was standing in the place he was before, he suddenly looked up and his eyes widened with shock._

_Standing by the door, with her back to him, stood a bride._

_A blonde haired bride._

_How the HELL did she get on board?_

_"What?" Ross said aghast._

_The blonde bride, Rydel, turned around saw him standing there. She yelped with surprise._

_"What?!" He said, even more confused._

_"Who are you?" She asked, disdainfully._

_Ross looked around, dumbfounded "But-"_

_"Where am I?"_

_"What?!"_

_"What the hell is this place?!" She yelled._

_"WHAT?!"_

"NO!" Rydel shouted one final time before she fell into Ross's arms, completely unconscious.

Ross caught Rydel in his arms, holding her for one moment as he tried his best not to let any tears fall down his face after what he'd just done to her. He can't believe he just had to do that to one of his friends. The only friend he's ever had who's been like a best friend to him. The only friend who never had a crush on him or had any love interest towards him… the only friend who wanted Ross to be her friend.

And now what did he have to do in order to save Rydel's life?

He had to wipe Rydel's memory of him of everything they'd ever done together.

So now, it was like Ross and Rydel never met.

Wilf hurried to the door as he heard someone hammering on it "Oh that must be her! Rydel?"

He laughed in relief until he opened the door, only seeing the TARDIS on the other side of the road which was confusing.

"Help me." Ross said urgently.

Wilf looked down at the sound of the voice, seeing Ross was sat on the doorstep with Rydel completely unconscious in his arms "Rydel?" Wilf asked, concerned and anxiously as he bent down to her.

Ross managed to get Rydel into her bed room and laid her down on it. Ross watched her lay peacefully in the bed with his hands in his pockets, where a thunderstorm rumbled outside.

"She took my mind into her own head. But that's a Time Lord consciousness." Ross said, as he was now sat down in the living room with Rocky, Sylvia and Wilf, explaining this whole thing over to them. "All that knowledge – it was killing her." Ross told them. The only reason Rocky was there was because Ross thought it would be best if Rocky knew too as he is one of Rydel's one and only friends that knows about this and can keep her from not remembering.

"But she'll get better, now?" Wilf asked.

"I had to wipe her mind completely," Ross said "every trace of me or the TARDIS… everything we did together, anywhere we went… had to go."

"All those wonderful things she did…"

"I know," Ross said, quietly and so very sorry and saddened himself "but that version of Rydel is _dead_." And that's what Dalek Caan had meant by 'one will die'. He meant Rydel. But he only meant that the part of her that knew Ross and travelled with Ross, she was dead. Not the Rydel she was before she met Ross. Ross then leaned forwards in emphasis.

"Because if she remembers, just for one second. She'll burn up and die. You can never tell her." Ross said as thunder rumbled in the background.

Sylvia shook her head in slight disbelief "But the whole world's talking about it? We travelled across space!"

"It'll just be a story. One of those Rydel Lynch stories, where she missed it all again."

"But she was better with you." Wilf said, completely upset.

"Don't say that—"Sylvia said, only to be cut off.

"No, I agree with him," Rocky said, cutting her off "she was…" he said, making Sylvia silenced.

Ross looked at Rocky and back at Sylvia and Wilf "I just want you to know that there are worlds out there, safe in the sky, because of her. That there are people living in the light, singing songs of Rydel Lynch, a thousand million light-years away… they will never forget her…" he then paused "while she can never remember," he said, where by this point Wilf's eyes were shining with tears "and for one moment," Ross continued on with his voice slightly hollow "one shining moment… she was the most important woman in the whole wide universe."

"She still is," Sylvia said shortly "she's my daughter."

"Then maybe you should tell her that once in a while." Ross and Rocky said at the same time abruptly, causing them both to look at each other and looked away slowly.

Then, heavy footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs before Rydel burst through the living room door, absolutely oblivious and breaking the moment, with her phone in her hand "I was asleep, ON my bed, IN my clothes, like a flipping kid! What did you let me do that for?!" She asked. She then glanced briefly at the blonde stranger, Ross, that was sat by Rocky "don't mind me. Rydel."

Ross just waved his hand off like it was nothing, even though his voice was desperate to break "I'm just Rocky's friend. I'm… no one."

Rydel nodded, looking down at her phone. "Rocky and his friend were just leaving." Sylvia said.

Rydel laughed "My phone's gone mad! Thirty-two texts, Veena's gone barmy, she's saying planets on the sky – WHAT have I missed now?" She asked with a laugh "Nice to meet you." Rydel said to the blonde next to Rocky vaguely before leaving.

Ross tried, but he failed to smile. "Like I said: I think you should go." Sylvia said coldly.

Rydel was on her phone in the kitchen, putting a jug of orange juice back in the fridge as she talked on the phone to her friend, completely oblivious to Ross watched her in the doorway with Rocky behind him "How thick do you think I am? Planets?! I'll tell you what that was, dumbo – that's those two-for-one lagers you get down the offy cos you fancy that little man in there with the goatee. Haha! Yes, you do! I've _seen_ ya!"

"Rydel? I was just going." Ross said, popping his head round the door.

Rydel turned around, looking at Ross carelessly because it didn't make any difference to her now "Yeah. Bye."

Knowing that Ross wouldn't get a more satisfactory goodbye, Ross left, glancing back at her from the door with a heavy heart and a saddened look in his eye. Rocky just nudged him in the arm, giving him a sympathetic smile as he guided him to the door.

It was dark outside and tipping with unstoppable rain, the thunder still rumbling depressingly in the background. Which – if Ross was honest – set the mood for this situation. Ross and Rocky walked to the door, accompanied by Wilf "Ah… you'll have quite a bit of this," Ross said, observing the weather "atmospheric disturbance. Still it'll pass," he paused "everything does…" he said quietly to himself sadly.

Wilf watched Ross and Rocky a little anxiously as Ross and Rocky stepped out in the rain ready to go home or go back to the TARDIS. Ross turned around and shook Wilf's hand "Bye then, Wilfred." Ross said.

Wilf nodded "Oh, Ross…" Wilf said, making Ross and Rocky turn around "what about you, now? Who've you got? I mean, all those friends of yours…?"

Ross sighed "They've all got someone else."

"I haven't." Rocky said.

Ross gave him a small smile "Rydel needs you here with her, no Rocky," he said "but still. It's fine. I'm fine."

"I'll watch out for you, sir." Wilf said.

"You can't ever tell her." Ross said as if he couldn't stress the point enough.

Wilf shook his head "No, no, no. But every night, Ross… when it gets dark… and the stars come out… I'll look up. On her behalf," he said with a small smile "I'll look up at the sky and think of you." He said as his voice broke a little.

Ross just stood there in the rain "Thank you."

Ross turned around and went over to the TARDIS with Rocky following. He turned round to Rocky "No, as much as I'd love you too, no…" Ross said with a small sad smile "Rydel needs you here and that's more important than coming with me."

Rocky sighed "But… you'll be on your own again. And… I don't think you'll find any new friends Ross. You're on your 12th life… that means your gonna die soon. On your own. I don't want that for you. I'm sure if you'd of let Ratliff stay with you, he wouldn't want that either… just… let me come with you. Please."

Ross looked at Rocky for a few moments, up and down. He still shook his head "I'm sorry," he said quietly "but… if it's meant to be. I'm sure we'll meet again, Rock."

He then gave Rocky a quick small tight hug before pulling away and going into the TARDIS. Rocky took a few steps back and watched as the TARDIS dematerialised. Wilf done the same thing from the door way, saluting as the TARDIS disappeared and when it was gone Wilf took a step back inside the house closing the door.

As for Rocky, he just turned around and made his way down the street that was now flooded with rain, hands deep in his pockets and his head down.

The rota risen and fell gently inside the TARDIS. Besides that, the TARDIS was completely silent and Ross just stood there, soaked, alone, and so, so tired. He took off his sodden jacket, looking up at the rota for a moment, his hands in his pockets as he remembered just merely hours ago this place was filled up with the people he loved, like nothing could ever go wrong.

But it did.

It always goes wrong for him.

He walked away slowly around the console, looking rather small in this huge machine, adjusting a few controls half-heartedly, his usual happy and enthusiastic energy was completely gone.

He then stopped walking and leaned on the console, looking and feeling full of a terrible loneliness.

Alone.

Back to square one.

**_Next Time: _**_The End Of Time: Part 1_

**_After: _**_The End Of Time: Part 2 {Final Chapter}_

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**_*ducks from thrown objects* MURDER'S ILLEGAL. IM SORRY. I AM._**

**_Though, from the title of the chapter you guys should of guessed that something with Rydel was going to happen... Just saying._**

**_5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE._**


	50. The End Of Time: Never Dying

**Okay, so at last...we have moved onto the FINAL ARC of this story :( I know. I'm gonna do what I did with Turn Left, The Stolen Earth and Journey's End and split it so it's more chapters :) Just so the ending doesn't come as soon as you think :)  
**

**But seriously, thank you so much for the people who've stuck with this story since the beginning! It means a lot! When I first wrote it, I thought I was gonna get to like chapter 8 and end up deleting it bc nobody would read it haha. Apparently not cx so thank you! **

**And here we are now! The beginning of the end :D And I suppose... the beginning of Rocky's own arc as well haha**

**Oh well... I suppose there's twists and turns to these last few chapters :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_Narrator's Voice_

* * *

**_The End Of Time: Never Dying_**

_It is said that in the final days of planet Earth, everyone had bad dreams. To the west of the north of that world, the human race did gather in celebration of a pagan rite to banish the cold and dark. Each and every one of those people had dreamt of the terrible things to come. But they forgot. Because they must. They forgot their nightmares of fire and war and insanity. They forgot._

_Except for one._

Rocky walked through the town, looking around where there was a huge Christmas tree in the centre of the place, and over by the window there was an eight-piece Salvation Army brass band playing with people walking up and down the busy street, walking past the shops that were heavily decorated with Christmas decorations. The whole street was almost packed with people carrying shopping bags, and it was night time. You'd of thought they'd of done their Christmas shopping during the day or something. Rocky took one last look to his right where he saw a Father Christmas letting a child choose a present out of its sack.

He then moved, looking down as the past – almost year – had been terrible. Mainly because he was trapped here and not doing what he wanted to do – which was going back to travelling with Ross, and that's all he wanted more than anything in the world. It was bad enough that when he was around Rydel he couldn't even mention anything to do with him. Nothing at all. It was completely frustrating.

The sad thing was, sometimes she'd just stare into nothing like she was thinking about something, he'd ask her what's wrong… she'd just say she was trying to remember something, but couldn't. It wasn't fair especially not to her.

As Rocky was walking down the road, he spotted Rydel's granddad in the distance, he smiled and went to go over to him but froze as a sepia coloured image of some man appeared into his head laughing manically, making Rocky to stop and reach for his forehead instantly – where then Wilf walked as fast as he could over to Rocky in concern.

Eventually the image went out of Rocky's head, shaking his head as if he was trying to remove the image. He recognised that face from somewhere… he couldn't put his finger on where he knew that face from.

He was a red-head. He could only just make that out and he had blue eyes. It was weird he kept having nightmares and weird images of this guy popping in and out of his head.

Who the hell was it though?

"You alright, Rocky?" Wilf asked.

Rocky looked at Wilf, with still slightly widened eyes "Y-yeah… I think…" he shook his head "just weird images that keep popping into my head… they hurt."

"Still?" Wilf questioned, Rocky nodded. Wilf then directed Rocky to follow him, and he done so.

They both just continued to walk along the streets together, talking, waving at a few people as they passed by – which was Wilf. Rocky on the other hand just looked wary as he walked along where the two of them started to approach a shop… but Rocky was distracted by the sounds of children singing coming from behind him. He turned around where he saw the church.

For some reason he found himself walking towards it without even realising it, Wilf followed him close behind as he wondered where the hell he was going.

When he entered the church, Rocky, he removed his red beanie he was wearing as some sort of gesture of respect, staring up at the stained glass windows and the choir. He walked hesitantly down the central aisle with Wilf beside him, starting at the window…

Where in the corner of the stained glass window, it showed a picture of a very tiny blue box. Rocky just stared long and hard at it, disbelieving, trying to understand. It looked like the TARDIS but he couldn't be sure…

As Wilf and Rocky were staring at it in shock, a woman who looked about in her late 60's dressed in a white jacket with pearls around her neck and in her ears. Her hair was brown, greying slightly in the front stood next to them both "They call it the legend of the blue box." She said calmly.

"Oh, I've never been in here before. I'm not one for churches." Rocky said startled, speaking fast and clearly nervous. The choir then fell silent, where then Rocky looked at the woman as well as Wilf.

"Then a man appeared – looked about your age – a man in a blue box," the woman went on, talking to Rocky and Wilf as if she'd known them for ages, which in some respect… she had "they called him the sainted physician. He smote the demon and then disappeared."

Rocky just nodded, trying to follow what she was saying as best as he could, and when she stopped talking he looked back at the window with Wilf. "Don't know about the physician part, but there's a bit of coincidence." Wilf said, letting out a small laugh.

The woman shook her head "It's said there's no such thing as a coincidence," she then laughed a little "who knows? Perhaps he's coming back."

"Oh, that would be my Christmas miracle…" Rocky said, with a small smile that was starting to form on his lips. "Yeah… it'd make my Christmas as well." Wilf added.

Both of the men turned back to look at the woman, only to find she was gone. They both twisted and turned their heads looking for her, but there wasn't a single trace of her anywhere at all.

Rocky then averted his attention back to the stained glass window at the TARDIS, where he saw another flash of the nightmare of the laughing guy, holding his head as he saw it.

Who the hell was he?

_"I think your song must end soon." Sigma said to Ross._

_Ross furrowed his brow "Meaning?"_

_"Every song must end."_

_Rocky sighed "But… you'll be on your own again. And… I don't think you'll find any new friends Ross. You're on your 12th life… that means your gonna die soon."_

_Ross leaned against the TARDIS as police cars and whatever else have you surrounded the scene, he took a small glance where he saw the old black woman from earlier who was with him. She could tell the future… she could literally see anything everything you wanted it was amazing. He looked away from her thinking she wasn't going to go over to him._

_But he was wrong._

_The woman started making her way over to him "Ross…" she said, Ross looked at her "you take care now."_

_Ross smiled at her brightly "You too. Chops and gravy, lovely." He said, referring to something earlier they were on about… but that was a whole new story._

_The woman shook her head sadly, looking at Ross with concern. A lot of it "No… but you be **careful**," She said, making Ross's smile fade from his face "because your song is **ending** sir."_

_"What do you mean?" Ross asked, straight face, showing no emotion though on the inside he could literally feel his hearts beating like crazy._

_"It is returning… it is returning through the dark… and then Ross… oh, but then… he will **knock four times.**"_

He got it, okay. He got the big picture.

Ross was going to die.

He didn't need any more warning signs, didn't need no profit telling him, he got the message loud and clear. His end was coming. HE GOT IT OKAY. Jesus, could the universe scream it at him any louder? Obviously not.

But right now, he didn't care… he was just living his life to the complete and fullest before his "death" happened.

That soon changed though.

The TARDIS materialised on a snow familiar landscape. Which then he realised was the Ood planet from when he was last here with… Rydel. Great. Ross stepped out of the TARDIS, dressed in his usual clothes – along with a bright pink plastic lei, sunglasses and a straw cowboy hat. "Ah, now sorry, there you are," Ross said buoyant, seeing Ood Sigma was stood in the lightly falling snow a short distance away from the TARDIS, he made his way towards him "so, where were we? I was summoned wasn't I? Ood in the snow calling me. Well, I didn't exactly come straight here, had a bit of fun you know, travelled about, bit of this and that, got into trouble, you know me, but it WAS brilliant. I saw the phosphorous carousel of the great Mingelinga Stat, saved a planet from the red carnivorous Maw, named a galaxy Alison," he said, then speaking brightly "got married, that was a mistake… good Queen Bess and let me tell you, her nickname is no longer… ahem, anyway… what do you want?"

"You should not have delayed." Sigma said.

Ross nodded "Last time I was here, you said my song would be ending soon. And I'm in no hurry for that."

"You will come with me."

"Hold on, better lock the TARDIS," he said, fishing into his pocket and then pointed a car remote back at the TARDIS and the light on top flashed, making the sound of a car being locked. He looked back at Sigma with an amused look on his face "You see, like car. I, I locked it like a car," he said, seeing the Ood didn't show any emotion what so ever "like, it's funny? No? Little bit? Blimey, try to make an Ood laugh."

Minutes later, Ross and Sigma walked through the snowy grounds of the Ood planet to get to where they needed to be. Instead of walking in complete awkward silence, Ross decided to attempt a conversation with him "So how old are you now Ood Sigma?" Ross asked.

No response came from Sigma's mouth. But it didn't matter anyway as Ross's attention was drawn by massive sculpted towers in rock – compared to that there was nothing here when he visited with Rydel the last time – and if he was honest, the sculpted towers were no dissimilar to the towers that were on his home planet Gallifrey. The difference was with them were that the towers here, on the Ood planet, were black and white whereas the ones on Gallifrey were silver and orange. When you looked up, figures of the Ood could be seen walking around in different places.

"Magnificent!" Ross said, quite impressed at how it had all changed since the last time he was here. Which was probably thousands or hundreds of years ago to the Ood. Ross elbowed Sigma as they walked along to get a response out of him seen as though he was giving none to him "Oh come on, that is! Splendid. You've achieved all this in how long?"

"One hundred years."

"Then we've got a problem," Ross said, becoming worried "cos all this is way too fast, not just the city, I mean your ability to call me, reaching all the way back to the 21st century. Something's accelerating your species way beyond normal."

"And the mind of the Ood is troubled."

"Why? What's happened?" He asked, still with some worry in his tone.

"Every night Ross, every night we have bad dreams."

Ross frowned as a voice became audible for all to hear as they walked into darkened underground room, seeing an Ood with a large brain – Ood Elder – sitting in front of pots and tubs in a circle of Ood. As Ross came into the room with Sigma, Elder waved over a pot that seemed to contain incense "Returning, returning, returning, it is slowly returning, through the dark and the fire and the blood, always returning, returning to this world. It is returning. And _he_ is returning. But too late. Too late. Far too late. He has come." Elder said as he done so.

"Sit with the elder of the Ood and share the dreaming." Sigma said to Ross.

Ross, who was no divested of his lei, hat and sunglasses, crossed the circle and sat down in an empty space, clearly uncomfortable. "So Right. Hello." He said as he sat.

The Ood placed their hindbrains into their laps and linked hands. Ross, who still looked anxious, linked his hands on either side. He inhaled deeply, as if struck by something – got the same flash of the same man Rocky got in his head…

The Master.

Ross inhaled again and dropped their hands as soon as he saw the Master's face, as if he had been burned. "He comes to us. Every night. I think all the peoples of the Universe dream of him now." Elder said.

"That man is dead." Ross said desperately. The Master was dead. He watched him die on the Valiant when his wife, Lucy, shot him stone dead – he had Laura, Riker and Rocky as witness to see that along with Laura's family.

How could he be alive?

"There is yet more. Join us."

Ross inhaled again, frowning deeply as if he knew it would be unpleasant – but he took the hands at either side of him. "Events are taking shape," Elder said "so many years ago and yet changing the now. There is a man," he said, as the Master's laugh started to become audible for everyone who was in the circle including Ross "So scared."

That was when an image of Rocky came at Ross through his mind.

He was just sat there at the table, with his hands linked in front of him looking worried which was what panicked Ross the most. "Rocky! Is he alright?!" he asked anxiously, then becoming desperate as he remembered someone else "what about Rydel? Is she safe?"

"You should not have delayed. For all the lines of convergence are being drawn across the Earth. Even now, the King is in his counting house."

Then there was a shot of these two black people – Joshua and Abigail Naismith – standing as if posing for photos, looking very satisfied.

Ross shook his head confused "I don't know who they are."

"And there is another. The loneliest of all. Trapped. Lost and forgotten."

At first, Ross thought it was going to be someone else shown – just a certain boy who goes by the name of Ellington Lee Ratliff – but he wasn't. Oh no. It was none other than Lucy Worthy, the Master's Wife who was in a cell only lit by the light coming from the outside. She appeared to only be wearing underwear clothes, her hair drawn back from her face, breathing heavily.

"The Master's Wife."

"We see so much," Sigma said, as he had joined the circle "but understand so little. The woman in the cage, who is she?"

"She… she was…" Ross said, speaking with great difficulty as he was trying to take this all in "it wasn't her fault. She was… The Master, he's a Time Lord, like me," he saw how the Ood didn't understand him "I can show you!"

He linked hands more firmly with his neighbours beside him, where Elder closed his eyes as if receiving Ross's thoughts. The image in the Ood's heads were of the Master sliding across the floor of the Valiant when he had taken over the world and caged Ross, Rocky, Riker and Laura's family on board it all the while Laura was trying to save them all as well as the world.

"The Master took the name of Worthy. He married a human, a woman called Lucy. And he corrupted her."

Another image flashed to the Ood depict of the Master directing the Toclafane to kill the President, where Lucy celebrated his death with the Master and then the Toclafane were shown swarming down to take over the Earth.

"She stood at his side will he conquered the Earth. I reversed everything he'd done so it never happened. But Lucy Worthy remembered."

Another image came to them all of when Lucy shot the Master dead. "I held him in my arms. I burned his body! The Master is dead!" Ross said, even more desperate.

The shot of when Ross burned the Master's body came up in their minds of him walking away from the funeral pyre. "What's that?" Ross asked confused, as he never saw this part before.

A hand picked up the ring the Master had worn from the ashes that fell out of it, where it showed an older woman – Miss Trefusis – cradling the ring in her hands.

"Part of him survived…" Ross said, immediately coming horrified. He then tried to get up from the floor panic-stricken "I have to go!"

But the hands of the Ood continued to hold Ross, forcing him back down to the ground as Ood Elder spoke "But something more is happening, Ross. The Master is part of a greater design." He said.

Ross began to breathe heavily, looking more and more frightened by all of this and what was probably going to happen sometime soon. Elder continued on speaking "Because a shadow is falling over creation. Something vast is stirring in the dark." He said.

An Ood looked up where its eyes were now red, as were all the other's in the circle where Ross was now truly terrified. "The Ood have gained this power to see through time," Ood Elder continued "because time is bleeding. Shapes of things once lost are moving through the veil. And these events from _years_ ago threaten to destroy this future. And the present. And the past."

"What do you mean?" Ross asked, now angry.

"This is what we have seen, Ross. The darkness heralds only one thing. The End of Time itself."

Once again, The Master was showing laughing which was just enough for Ross to leap up off the ground and get away from the circle of the red-eyed Ood, running through the caves and out into the snowy landscape so he could get back to the TARDIS and get away from this Ood planet.

The Odd's eyes then returned back to normal colour before Elder spoke:

"Events that have happened before are happening now."

He breathed in more of the incense as Ross ran back through the snow to the TARDIS.

Whilst Ross was running to the TARDIS frantically, a key was slide into the lock of Lucy's cell door and opened where Miss Trefusis entered the cell, followed by several guards. She nodded at Lucy, who stood and moved slowly out of the room.

Ross remotely unlocked the TARDIS and practically threw himself inside, slamming the door behind him and flinging himself around the console, which shot showers of sparks – his desperation obvious.

Lucy was brought out into a large room, where a woman dressed in a dark dress was waiting and Miss Trefusis took her place beside the Governor. "Mrs Worthy," The Governor spoke "let me introduce myself. I'm your new governor. I'm afraid the previous Governor met with something of an accident – which took quite some time to arrange."

Lucy began to look around frightened, starting to wonder what the hell was going on. "Miss Trefusis, if you will prepare." She said.

Miss Trefusis nodded and did something in the middle of the room before returning to her former position. "You kept your silence well, Mrs Worthy," The Governor continued "your trial was held in secret, with no jury. So no one knows who Calum Worthy was. Where he came from-" she said, as Lucy looked around, her expression completely terrified "—why you killed him. Make her kneel."

Lucy felt like she was about to break down in tears as a guard grabbed her shoulder and shoved her to her knees. The Governor then spoke coldly, stiltedly "There are those of us who never lost faith. And in his wisdom, Calum Worthy prepared for this moment."

Miss Trefusis looked smug as she walked forward. "He knew that he might die. And he made us ready. Tonight, Mrs Worthy…" she then grinned "he returns…"

Miss Trefusis held out a green ring with the Gallifreyan symbols on as the Master's laugh could have heard as she done so. Lucy gasped at the sight of the ring.

Rocky continued to stare out of the window as the lightening from the sky crackled throughout it. He paid no attention to the TV screen that was on in the background, where the picture suddenly changed to a woman. The same woman he and Wilf had saw in the church. The sound, however continued. The picture on the TV turned back into static without Rocky even noticing and battering an eye lid.

Miss Trefusis put the ring into a dish and began pouring liquids into it. "As it was written in the secret books of Worthy, these are the potions of life." The Governor said.

"Listen to me, whatever he told you, you've got no idea what you're doing!" Lucy said, becoming absolutely desperate.

The Governor ignored Lucy's pleas and continued to go onward with it "Miss Trefusis, the catalyst."

"What are you doing?!" Lucy asked as Miss Trefusis continued in getting closer and closer to her "Leave me alone! Don't!"

Miss Trefusis used Lucy's ponytail to pull her head back as she screamed so she would stay still as a tissue was wiped across Lucy's mouth as she sobbed and screamed. "You were Worthy's Wife! You bore his imprint!" The Governor said, as Miss Trefusis pressed the tissue to Lucy's mouth "that's all we needed. The final biometrical signature."

Lucy was finally released where then the cloth was carried over to the bowl containing the ring. "You can't bring him back!" Lucy begged, instantly becoming panicked over what horror he would bring "you can't!"

The tissue, bearing the imprint of Lucy's lipstick was dropped into the bowl where an explosion went off. The Governor looked frightened and staggered backwards as light beamed from the bowl, and the lightening that flashed from the outside of the prison flashed from outside and into the bowl. "I'm begging you – stop this now before it's too late!" Lucy begged.

"We give ourselves that worthy might live!"

Light began to glow from the stomachs of each of the people in the room – apart from Lucy – and they dropped to their knees, their hands spread as if in supplication or a prayer. The light was drawn into the central glowing Vortex that came up from the bowl. "Can't you see – he lied to you! His name isn't even Calum Worthy!" Lucy said, trying her best to convince everyone to stop.

At this point, the Governor was ecstatic "And this was written also! For his name… is the Master!"

The light of the vortex then started to form into the shape of a man. "Never. Never. Never. Never! Never dying! Never dying!"

Lucy started up at the Master as he just glared down at her. "Never Dying! Never dying!" he kept on saying as now, he was at the top of it.

As the TARDIS flew through the vortex, the Master continued to repeat the phrase, his form strengthening. Ross's eyes widened as if he could hear those words the Master was saying, but immediately became distracted by an explosion from the console.

The Master held out his hands down to his wife, and the woman who was stood behind Lucy started to look afraid "Oh, Lucy! Sweet Lucy Worthy! My ever faithful – did the widow's kiss bring me back to life?"

"You're killing them!" Lucy yelled.

"Oh, let them die! They're just a first! The whole stupid stinking human disgrace can fall into the pit!" The Master said, as Lucy became horrified. He then held his hands to his ears "Can't you hear it, Lucy? The noise! The drumbeat! Louder than ever before. The drums. The never-ending drums," he said "oh, I have missed them!" He said ecstatically.

Lucy then got up to her feet "But no one knew you better than I did. I knew you'd come back!" She said, The Master started to look wary, almost angry "and all this time your disciples have prepared! But so have we!" she then turned and grabbed a bottle from the guard behind her.

"What are you doing?" The Master asked, wary.

"The secret books of Saxon spoke of the potions of life. And I was never that bright."

At this point, the Master started to look afraid of what Lucy planned to do. "But my family had contacts. People who were clever enough to calculate the opposite!" she went on.

"Don't you dare!" The Master said, terrified as Lucy removed the cork from the bottle. "I'm ordering you, Lucy! You will obey me!" he screamed in rage.

"Till death do us part, Calum!"

"NO!"

The Master screamed as she threw the contents of the bottle towards him. Once the contents were threw at him, a massive explosion rocked the room.

Ross ran out of the TARDIS and stopped, as he found himself staring at the remains of Broadfell Prison with a police tape around it. Which was weird because, this was the prison Lucy was being held at. He looked down at the singed sign that lay on the ground with bricks and rubble on top of it before staring round again.

It may have just seemed like him for five seconds that the Master was no longer coming back… but he'd been through this with the Dalek's too many times to think he was never coming back and it was over before it had even started.

* * *

**Yeah, sorry for the long wait on this update. I guess I've been trying to put this ARC of the story off for a long while seen as though it's the last :/ But, hey-ho. I'm sure your all hoping I put it off bc of it ending soon, right? Haha.**

**Anyway, The Master's back! I honestly don't know what you think of that... haha.**

_**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_


	51. The End Of Time: The Master

**PLEASE READ: I would just like to point out that the Narrator's Voice is ACTUALLY somebody who will come into the story in a short while ;) Points if you can guess who he or she is! **

_The Narrator's Voice_

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**_The End Of Time: The Master_**

On a building site, wood burned in an old oil barrel and two men stood at a nearby catering van. They were both ordering some food from it off a tall blonde chubby woman who looked about in her late 30's, as they were talking about the Christmas broadcast and the president promising to end the recession that was going on – someone in a black hoodie, obviously a man, walked past the fire and towards the van with his hood up over his head.

The woman handed the two men their food, wished them a Merry Christmas and they were both soon on their way. She let her gaze fall in front of her where she watched as the man in the black hoodie had turned around with his back to her and watched the two men walk away "Now what can I get you sir?" she asked.

The man turned around facing the woman, she saw he was a redhead – AKA the Master. "Everything!" he flipped off the hoodie and gave her a weird smile "I am _so_ hungry!" the Master started to laugh, making the woman begin to become highly concerned.

Elsewhere on the site, the two men who were at the van before were eating. They were sitting on old car seats beside another drum with fire in it. "They're saying that the President's got this grand plan. He's gonna save the world with some big financial scheme. Hmm, whatever it is, I bet it won't reach you and me." One of two men said.

The Master dropped onto the ground behind the men, eating voraciously ay the rolls he'd just been given at the van. The two men started to look up at the Master "Ooh, someone's lively on his feet."

"Starving." The Master said, noticing they were both watching him. He started eating at superhuman speed, making the men stare in confusion – where they saw the burger was gone in seconds.

"Now, you see, that's what you don't wanna do," the same man said "eat it all at once. Tempting I know," he said towards the Master, where the Master was licking the paper from where the burger had once been held in "but if you make it last, it can last all day."

"More!" The Master said hungrily "with cheese and chips! And meat and gravy. And cream and beer. And pork and beef and fat and great bug chunks of hot, wet red."

"Good for you, mate," the man turned to the other younger man beside him, Ginger "maybe we'd better get going."

Ginger, who was the younger man sat beside the other, looked up to the Master "You look like that bloke. Calum Worthy," he said, making the Master stop what he was doing "the one that went mad." Ginger started laughing at the absurdity at the suggestion he had just made.

The Master laughed with him, holding up his finger "Now, isn't that funny? Isn't that just the best thing of all?" he started waving at his hair "the master of disguise. Stuck looking like the old Prime Minister," he laughed "I can't hide anywhere. He can see me," the smile on his face dropped, becoming dangerous "he can smell me. Can't let him smell me! Ross, Ross, Ross, Ross, Ross, Ross, stop the smell! The stink! The filthy, filthy stink!"

The man and Ginger were now worried, becoming anxious about this weird man they had just encountered together without choice "Ginger, come with me!" The man said briskly. They both scrambled to their feet whilst the Master continued to wipe his mouth as they began to run.

The Master put out a hand, making them both stop dead "But it's funny! Don't you see? Look at me! I'm splitting my sides!" the two men stared at the Master and a strange blue light flickered over his face, revealing his skeleton "I am hilarious! I am the funniest thing in the whole wide world!" he finished off with a loud roar.

The two men screamed and began to run again, the Master watched them go before he got to his feet and ambled forward, his head tilted to one side.

"Run! God help us! There's this man!" the man shouted as they ran over to the catering van.

They both stopped a short distance in front of the catering van, only to find that the occupants that were once there had been turned into skeletons. "Dinner time!" The Master screamed. The words from the Master's mouth echoed before he leaped impossibly high into the air, diving headfirst at them, his mouth open.

There were screams and a loud bang, and then silence before the cries of birds could be heard.

Ross was stood in the same building site the Master was – but the difference is that he was almost on the other side of the rubbish dump/building site. He stood highly on a cliff, overlooking a rubbish dump. He sniffed for something.

That's when the sound of a metal bar being dragged along the ground could be heard.

Ross was stood in the same building site the Master was – but the difference is that he was almost on the other side of the rubbish dump/building site. He stood highly on a cliff, overlooking a rubbish dump. He sniffed for something.

That's when the sound of a metal bar being dragged along the ground could be heard.

The Master sat down on the rocky ground, his hoodie once more over his head. He flipped it back off and also began to sniff, seconds later he picked up an iron bar and began to bang it on the side of a red oil drum.

Four knocks.

Just as what Ross had been told.

_"Four knocks and you die."_

It wasn't quite hard to figure out now that the Master was going to be the cause of Ross's death, after all he does have the beat of drumming going through his head of four beats. At least that's what the Master told him – not that Ross has ever, EVER heard the drum beat before.

When Ross heard the beginning of the iron bar slowly drawing out the four knocks on the side of the oil drum, he turned in the direction of the sound. As Ross started to run towards the four knocks, the Master started beating out the same pattern twice more, getting faster each time before throwing away the bar and also beginning to run.

At the sight of a familiar shape of the Master on top of a high hill of gravel, Ross stopped. The Master faced towards him and bellowed an incoherent almost animalistic roar, leaping high into the air again, disappearing onto the other side of the hill. Ross ran after him and when he finally caught back up to him, they stood a short distance apart – the Master stood on top of a high pile of iron beams and Ross on the cement on the ground below. The Master began to laugh and his form started to flicker into his skeleton and back.

"Please, let me help!" Ross said. The Master looked mocking, knowing this was the sort of thing that was to be expected from Ross. Help. But obviously the Master thought it was pathetic. "You're burning up your own life-force!" Ross said.

Ross then ran around a pile of rusty steel bars – only to run into Rocky and Wilf. Rocky's eyes widened in surprise and Wilf looked just as surprised "Oh, by gosh, Ross, you're a sight for sore eyes!" Wilf said.

"Hey, get away!" Ross warned, more to Wilf because Rocky had faced the Master before – even then, Rocky didn't know he was back. He then leaps onto a nearby pile to look for the Master.

Rocky looked at Wilf in disbelief "I can't believe we found him…"

"Yeah, this was the last place I'd of expected to find him!" Wilf said with a short laugh. He and Rocky had decided they were both going to go looking for Ross, even though they knew there was a 1% chance they would out of 99. And look at that, they found him in a building site. Last place they expected.

Ross just continued to stare into the landscape of the building site, only to find the Master was gone. Then he went over in his head what Rocky and Wilf were just talking about, he looked at them both "You were both looking for me?" He questioned, which he found very, very strange.

Rocky shrugged "Sort of… yeah." Rocky admitted, scratching the back of his neck nervously. He then his hand drop back to his side "it was my idea…" he admitted, which only made Ross's eyes snap at him "and coming here… also my idea. I don't know, I didn't want to give up and we hadn't searched here yet."

Ross nodded "Right… and you came looking for me because…?" he asked.

Rocky and Wilf looked at each other and turned back facing Ross.

Around half an hour later, the three of them found themselves walking through Chiswick town as they were all trying to find a coffee shop to sit in. All Ross could do was look around in confusion as they'd past a lot of coffee shops and all Rocky and Wilf did was continue to walk, Ross wasn't going to question it as he knew there was obviously a reason why they wanted him to go to this specific one. He was just still freaked out and worried about how fast Rocky and Wilf had found him… that's never happened before.

Yes, Ross has met Wilf about three times now… but Rocky…

There's something not right, Ross has met Rocky four times now. _FOUR_. And when that happens… most of the time it's never good. "Right, over here." Wilf said, as his eyes had finally landed on the coffee shop.

"What's so special about this place? We've passed fifteen cafés on the way!" Ross said in utter confusion.

Rocky chuckled "I know."

Minutes later, Ross and Rocky were both sat opposite each other at a table in the café whilst Wilf was sat at the end of the table in between them both. Ross was sat back in his chair with his arms folded across his chest whilst Rocky was leaning forwards, occasionally poking the air in demonstration "But we had good times, didn't we though?" Rocky asked "I mean, all those Judoon, the cat people, the Dalek's… The Master." Rocky said, laughing at the last part half-heartedly.

"Yeah, and those ATMOS things," Wilf said, referring to the times he was there with Ross, and Rydel was also there "and planets in the sky and me with that paint-gun," He then gestured shooting and made popping noises with his mouth "I'd of gladly swapped guns with that Ratliff friend of yours." He laughed.

Rocky chuckled also, but Ross just looked away war and anxious. Rocky's face turned straight, looking slightly worried "I keep… seeing things, Ross," Rocky said hesitantly "i-This face. At night. I mean, I recognise the face but I can't put my finger on it who he is. I know, I know him! That's the frustrating thing."

Ross just completely ignored what Rocky said, looking him dead in the eyes. "Who are you?" Ross asked Rocky, warily.

"I-I'm Rocky Lynch." Rocky said who straightened becoming confused by what he meant by this. Did Ross just get memory loss within the last few minutes or something?

Ross shook his head slightly "No. People have waited hundreds of years to find me and then you manage it in a couple of hours."

Rocky shrugged "Well, just got lucky I suppose…"

"No, we keep on meeting, Rocky. Over and over again. Things were still connecting us even when I wasn't travelling with you in the TARDIS, Rydel was because she knew you… it's like something still _is_ connecting us."

Rocky looked at Ross confused "Well, what's so important about me?" Rocky asked, sounding uncannily like Rydel every time someone from another galaxy and Ratliff said she was special and she didn't believe it for one second.

"Exactly. Why you?" Ross asked, trying his best not to make that sound mean.

A pained silence fell over the three of them, Wilf stayed silent mainly because he found it awkward to be in the middle of all this. Ross stared out of the window as the people walked by, his eyes were locked on the insignificant blue car that was parked outside that Ross recognised from somewhere but he wasn't sure where from. He knew he'd seen it somewhere before. But where? Ross then looked back at Rocky.

"I'm going to die."

"Well, so are us two, one day." Rocky said directing it towards himself as well as Wilf, clearly not getting what Ross meant.

Ross started to tear up "Don't you dare!" Ross said, almost making it sound like an order. And it was. He'd lost too many people in his lifetime and right now the people who he'd recently met, Ratliff, Rocky, Laura, Rydel, Ryan, Jenna, Riker, Matty, Wilf, had become way too important for him to die unlike all the other companions and friends he's had in the past – even though he wouldn't know if Ratliff and Jenna were dead with them being locked away in the parallel world still. He wasn't going to accept all of them dying.

Ross would have to die first before they all died. In fact, Ross would ensure that was the case. And right now, it was looking that way.

Wilf chuckled "Alright, we'll try not to." He said.

Ross swallowed tears "But I was told… 'He will knock four times.' That was the prophecy. Knock four times and then…"

"Yeah, but I… thought… when I saw you before, you said you had thirteen lives… move onto a new one every time you're dying." Wilf said hesitantly.

"Yeah, but I can still die if I don't move on quick enough," Ross said dismissively, he leaned forward "I'm on my twelfth life, that means my next one's my final one," his lower lip trembled and he looked suddenly young and helpless "even then… my thirteen life only lasts three days at the most… and that's it… I'm dead and gone…"

Ross started to focus on Rocky who was now looking outside of the window behind him "What?" Ross asked. Ross turned around to look outside of the window only to see…

Rydel.

She was getting her keys out of her coat to the blue car, which was hers, so she could get inside of it. Ross should have known that was Rydel's car, as she did have it parked outside the TARDIS when they met for the second time. "I'm sorry, but I had too." Rocky said, as Ross continued to stare at Rydel, speechless.

"Can't you make her better?" Wilf asked.

Ross's eyes reddened with tears "Stop it!"

"No, but you're so clever," Rocky said, trying to make Ross see sense "can't you bring her memory back? Just go to her now! Go on, just run across the street and say hello!"

At this point Ross had tears in his eyes that were threatening to fall "If she ever remembers me, her mind will burn and she will die!" Ross said fiercely, even though he wanted nothing more for Rydel to remember.

The three of them watched and heard as Rydel saw a parking officer coming near her car "Don't you touch this car!" Rydel said, with her finger held out in warning.

The three of them chuckled "She's not changed." Ross said tearfully.

"No. oh," Wilf said as a young man appeared, carrying bags "there he is! Shaun Temple – they're engaged! Getting married in the spring."

"Another wedding."

"Yeah…" Rocky said thoughtfully as he watched Rydel and Shaun.

Ross all of a sudden became appalled "Hold on, she's not going to be called 'Lynch Temple' – it sounds like a tourist spot for some Buddhist Royal Family!"

Wilf watched as he waited for a reaction, slowly "No, it's 'Temple Lynch'."

"Right," Ross said, as it still sounded like a home for a Buddhist Royal Family. Ross just continued to watch Rydel pack the car, not taking his eyes off her for a single moment "is she happy? Is he nice?"

Rocky stayed silent, slouching down in his chair as he decided to let Wilf do all the explaining about him, Rocky had no energy to explain. "Yeah, he's sweet enough," Wilf said "he's a bit of a dreamer. Mind you, he's on minimum wage, she's earning tuppence, so all they can afford is a tiny little flat," Wilf explained as Rydel unlocked the car "and then sometimes I see this look on her face. Like she's so sad. But she can't remember why."

"She's got him." Ross said sadly.

"She's making do." Rocky said almost immediately, sounding a little irritated.

"Aren't we all?" Ross said miserably, still looking at Rydel.

Rocky looked at Ross who was still staring at Rydel "And how about you? Who've you got now?" he asked.

Ross shook his head, finally tearing his gaze from Rydel and looking at Rocky "No one. Travelling alone. I thought it was better," he shrugged, with agony on his face, on the verge of tears again "but I did some things – it went wrong… I need…" at last, Ross finally broke down in tears, covering his hands with his face as he was literally just about to admit he needed someone there with him to stop him doing stupid things and causing bad things. Ratliff, Rocky, Laura and Rydel always stopped him from doing stuff that he was never meant too.

He needed them back. He needed all four of them. Or at least just one of them.

And he knows which one he would rather have.

Wilf leaned forwards, distressed "Oh, my word!"

Ross fought for control over his tears, he inhaled a massive breath "Merry Christmas!" Ross said bitterly.

"Yeah, and you." Wilf said sobbing. As for Rocky, he just had tears glistening his eyes.

The three of them finally chuckled. "Look at us…" Ross said.

"D-don't you see?" Rocky asked, pointing out of the window "you _need_ her, Ross. I mean, look, wouldn't she make you laugh again? Good old Rydel," Rocky said, Ross nodded again, and looking towards the window as Rydel's car drove away "eh?" Rocky asked, hopefully.

Ross nodded the tiniest bit as if being unable to help agreeing.

Moments later Ross got up off his chair in the café and left with Rocky and Wilf trailing behind him, his movements were strong, determined and showed no sign of the weakness he was displaying before now.

Rocky and Wilf just stopped, and watched as Ross went off.

_And so it came to pass that the players took their final places, making ready the events that were to come._

* * *

**No really, I will give you ALL a round of applause if you can guess who the narrator is... As for the people who already know... SHUSH. ;) I don't think I'm going to be giving any spoilers away about who it is, cause to be honest... I want it to be a surprise :D Even though I don't think many of you will be surprised if I'm honest lol.**

_**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_


	52. The End Of Time: The Never Ending Drums

**Why aren't I updating and writing this story as much as I used too? BECAUSE I'M GETTING TIRED OF YOU ALL NOT REVIEWING. Just fucking review for fuck sake, its not gonna hurt is it?**

**Anyway.**

**There's also another thing. You remember that woman who was talking to Rocky and Wilf in the church in the first part of this story? Well... She is ALSO somebody important to this story and if you can guess who SHE is then points for you. I will give away that the Narrator of this story IS _male_... hope it makes it easier ;)**

**ALSO: I didn't realise, but the beginning of this chapter IS a CONTINUATION of the Narrator's voice at thte end, I just didn't realise that -_-**

_The Narrator's Voice_

* * *

**_The End Of Time: The Never Ending Drums_**

In a darkened room, The Master sat there… only just being visible. He was gnawing away on a bone and suddenly looked up.

_A madman sat in his empire of dust and ashes, little knowing of the glory he would achieve._

Ross stood on a stony mound, looking around back in the building site where he had bumped into Rocky and Wilf, as well as coming face to face with The Master for the first time in a long while.

_While his saviour looked upon the wilderness in the hope of changing his inevitable fate._

Joshua and Abigail Naismith sat on silver throne-like chairs and clinked celebratory glasses of champagne.

_Far away, the idiots and fools dreamt of a shining new future, a future now doomed to never happen._

_As Earth rolled onwards into the night, the people of that world did sleep and shiver, somehow knowing that the dawn would bring only one thing – the final day._

Wearing auburn and orange robes, the man (the Narrator) looked upon everyone in front of him, peacefully telling this story and how it was going to end.

And let's just say, this _was_ going to end spectacularly.

* * *

The Master, who had wide eyes, sniffed – realising that Ross had found him, and he turned around. Where the sound of something metal could be heard dragging in the dust returned, it was safe to say Ross was the only one who wasn't hearing all of this. Turning around, the Master saw Ross standing there a short distance away and the pair of them started walking towards each other.

The Master glanced down at his hands, which sparkled and glowed. He looked back up at Ross and used the power to shoot bolts of lightning at Ross, but they completely missed and ended up striking the building behind him and Ross just kept on walking on towards the Master as the flames from the bolts burnt behind him, completely emotionless. The fire briefly illuminated Ross's features and the Master rubbed his hands together to generate a greater force and shot the bolt and Ross.

This time, the bolt hit Ross in the chest and he stopped, wavering on his feet, arms flung out, and his face working in agony. Ross staggered towards his adversary and then fell to his knees, but the Master ran up to Ross and grabbed him before he could drop to the ground. For a moment, The Master stared into Ross's eyes before letting him go. Ross fell to the floor, panting and grunting for breath, fighting the pain. The Master sunk into a squat, his arms resting on his knees, only a short distance from Ross "I had estates. Do you remember my father's land back home?" The Master asked, speaking disdainfully as he started to get lost in a day dream and memories of Gallifrey "pastures of red grass, stretching far across the slopes of Mount Perdition," he said, as Ross continued to struggle for breath "we used to run across those fields all day. Calling up at the sky," The Master settled back against a mound of debris "look at us now!"

"All that eloquence, but how many people have you killed?" Ross asked who was still lying on the ground.

"I am so hungry!" The Master said hungrily.

"Your resurrection went wrong. That energy…" Ross said, still struggling for breath "your body's ripped open. Now you're killing yourself."

The Master ignored what Ross was saying, going on with what he was saying "That's human Christmas, out there!" He gestured angrily "they eat so much! All that roasting meat. Cakes and red wine. Hot fat blood food. Pots and plates of meat and flesh and grease and juice and baking burnt sticky hot skin. Hot this, hot that, oh…"

"Stop it!"

"Sliced… sliced…"

"Stop it!"

"It's mine, it's mine, it's mine, its mine. Eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it."

"Stop it!" Ross said at the same time the Master spoke, letting there be a moment of silence "what if I ask you for help?" Ross asked weakly, making the Master laugh at the ridiculous suggestion "there's more at work tonight than you and me."

"Oh, yeah?" The Master asked mockingly.

"I've been told, something is returning." Ross said, slowly and clearly still in pain.

"And here I am!" The Master said viciously.

Ross shook his head "No, something more."

"But it hurts!"

"I was told – the end of time!"

"It hurts! Ross, the noise! The noise in my head!" The Master got on his hands and knees, beginning to crawl in the dust towards Ross "Ross! One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. Stronger than ever before," The Master then became confused as the drumming in his head started to become audible for him to hear "can't you hear it?"

Ross shook his head, being apologetic "I'm sorry."

"Please! Listen, listen, listen, listen," The Master said sounding desperate in some way as the drumming in his head started to become louder and louder "every minute. Every second," the Master suddenly looked helpless "every beat of my hearts. There it is. Calling to me. Please listen." The Master begged.

"I can't hear it." Ross said helplessly.

The Master got down so he was only inches away from Ross's face "Listen!" he growled. Finally, he grabbed Ross's face in his hands, pressing his forehead to Ross's, his eyes closed in intense concentration. All of sudden, Ross startled himself back, wrenching himself free…

Ross could hear the drums.

"What?" The Master asked.

Ross was breathless "That's…."

"What?!"

"I heard it." Ross said, shocked and horrified – even though he couldn't hear it anymore now that the Master never had hold of him. The Master straightened up as if he was vindicated. Ross was on his haunches on the ground as he continued to talk "but there's no noise," Ross said as the Master got up to his feet "there never has been. It's just your insanity! It's—what is it?" Ross started to breathe hard "what's inside your head?"

The Master started to laugh hysterically, triumphant by this of how Ross heard the drumming in his head "It's real! It's real," he said "IT'S REAL!" He screamed.

Bolts of power came from the Master's hands, propelling him into the sky. Ross staggered to his feet, still in obvious pain, running but glancing up into the sky for the Master to follow where he was going. The Master laughed and Ross chased the sound, stopping to see the Master on a nearby mound of dirt "All these years, you thought I was mad!" The Master raised his arm in victory "king of the wasteland. But _something_ is _calling_ me, Ross. What is it? What is it?! What is it?!"

A light suddenly illuminated over the Master from above, he looked upwards to see the spotlight of a helicopter shining on him. Another light snapped on above Ross, who was also staring upwards, staggering back as he tried to see the source and ropes started to drop on either side of the Master. Men in black outfits slid down the ropes as the Master laughed, his hand held out wide as if being celebrated. The men grabbed him, injecting something into his neck and the Master went limp.

"NO!" Ross shouted, running for the group, but the men began to shoot at him and, as the men on the helicopter ropes signalled for the helicopter to winch them up, Ross had to run to avoid being shot. "Let him go!" Ross shouted, referring to The Master.

All of sudden, something hit Ross. He lied spread-eagled in the ground, unmoving as the helicopter took off. The spotlight trailed away over the rocks and dirt away from Ross.

Rydel handed a present to Rocky, he took it from her and began to unwrap it as he was sat next to Wilf and Rydel watched as he opened it. Only to find a book called _Fighting the Future _by _Joshua Naismith. _"Now then, steady on," Rydel said, breezing in "it's never too early for margaritas, that's what I say. I forgot to get lemons, so I used oranges instead. It's all fruit, same difference." She shrugged.

Sylvia looked at a striped top, looking at it with false cheeriness "Oh, now that's lovely, look at that, absolutely beautiful!" Sylvia looked at the tag on the top "oh, love from Rydel. Did you keep the receipt?"

Rydel looked at her mother, smiling pained "Yes I did," she then turned round back to her Granddad, Wilf, and Rocky. She nudged Wilf "Come on, Gramps, you've been a right misery guts since you got up – you too, Rocky, ever since you got here," she then gestured to the book "do you like it then? The book?"

"Joshua Naismith?" Rocky questioned, looking up at Rydel confused "I don't mean to sound rude or anything Rydel, but what did you get me this for?" he asked.

"I don't know," Rydel said becoming unsure "I just—saw it in the shop and – thought of you…" Rydel said, distantly as she stared into the distance like she was trying to remember something important – or that she should know something important "just felt like the sort of thing you should have."

Rocky and Wilf exchanged glances before looking back at Rydel whose thoughts were interrupted by Sylvia's laughter "Oh, now look at that, that's from Charlie Morton, isn't that rude?" Sylvia asked as she held up the card. Rydel went over to look at the Christmas card and joined in on her mother's laugher as she saw the card.

Rocky turned away from them both and examined the book along with Wilf. Just as they were doing that Rydel's fiancé, Shaun, arrived through the door "Aye, aye, here are the presents!" He said, carrying a pile of gifts as there was an exclamation of delight from everyone apart from Rocky who was too concentrated on the book "I'm sorry, I couldn't afford much, but not for long, not if the President ends the recession tonight," he turned to Rydel "come here!" he hugged her affectionately.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa," Rocky said, stopping them both "just stop."

"Yeah, keep it quiet! It's the Queen's speech now, come on. Sit down, show respect. Come on." Wilf said, sitting down in front of the TV screen, dragging Rocky by the wrist with him. All Rocky could do was roll his eyes as it was obvious he wasn't going to get out of watching the freaking Queen's speech.

The others began to laugh once more as Wilf sat contently in front of the TV and Rocky sat on the sofa, watching the TV bored stiff "Will you behave, you? Honestly! Alright, now, whoa, she's on, she's on. It's our sovereign." Wilf sat watching the television which was showing a picture of Buckingham Palace and saluted, Rocky just rolled his eyes.

That was when the television all of a sudden started to go strange, with the woman Wilf and Rocky both saw at the church cutting in and out of the guards marching. The image of the woman solidified and Wilf dropped the salute as he saw it, and Rocky lurched forward in the chair in shock to see her. "Huh?" Rocky said in puzzlement.

"Events are moving, Wilfred and Rocky." The woman said.

"Eh?" Wilf asked, just as confused as Rocky.

"Faster than we thought." The Woman said in distress.

Wilf tried to get the attention of others, but they were completely distracted "Oi, can you see that?!" Wilf asked, pointing to the screen.

"Frankly, I'd tell her Majesty it's time for trouser suits." Rydel said carelessly.

Rocky shook his head violently, not taking his eyes away from the screen "No, no, no, no, that's not the Q-"

"Only you two can see me," The woman said "only you both stand at the heart of co-incidence."

"Why, what have we done?" Rocky asked.

"Wilfred, you're an old solider and Rocky… you're a young one," The woman said "only you were both too late. The war was won and passed you by."

"I did my duty!" Wilf said, indignantly.

"You never killed a man. Nor Rocky."

Wilf shook his head "No, I didn't. No, we did not and have not, but… don't say that like its shameful!"

The Woman tore her gaze away from Wilfred, looking over at Rocky "The time will come when you must take arms." She said, directing that at Rocky. It was vital he knew that and was prepared for the moment when he would have too. And he really wasn't going to like it. But he had no choice. For things to happen, Rocky had to be there and cause it.

Rocky looked at the woman with worry "Who are you?" he asked.

"Tell Ross nothing of this," she ordered "his life could _still_ be saved. So long as you tell him nothing."

The picture on the TV screen turned back to a horse-drawn carriage, Wilf turned to the others to get their attention but then turned back again, indecisive and confused just like Rocky.

Minutes later, Rocky and Wilf found themselves upstairs in Wilf's room. Wilf got out a gun from a case under the bed, making sure that it was loaded. Rocky walked over to the window, ignoring what Wilf was doing, only to see Ross and the TARDIS. Rocky smiled slightly.

Rocky and Wilf ran downstairs as fast as they could, as they came out of the house round the back door Ross came around the TARDIS to greet them both "I lost him," Ross said, referring to the Master "I was unconscious. He's still on Earth. I can smell him, but he's too far away."

Rocky looked at Ross confused "Who's 'he'?"

"The Master."

"Oh, hell no! He died!" Rocky protested "I watched him die on the Valiant. Oh Jesus Christ." He ran his hands through his hair in frustration, starting to realise this wasn't going to be as easy and simple as he was thinking it was. Now it was starting to click to him that the Master was the face he could see in his nightmares.

Wilf gestured to the TARDIS "You can't park there. What if Rydel sees it?" he asked.

"You two are the only ones. The only connection I can think of. You're both involved. If I could just – work out how," he lunged at Rocky "tell me, have you seen anything. I don't know, anything strange, anything odd."

"Well, there was a…" Rocky said nervously, going to tell him about the woman. But he thought better of it, as she did say not telling Ross about the woman would give a chance of Ross's life still being saved before it ended.

"What? What is it – tell me!"

Rocky shook his head "Well, it was – no, it's nothing."

Ross became desperate "Think, think, think. Maybe – maybe something out of the blue, something connected to your life. Something!"

"Well, Rydel was a bit strange," Wilf said "she had a funny little moment this morning, all because of that book."

"What book?"

Rocky ran back into the house and grabbed the Joshua Naismith book off the table discretely. Ross just stood there waiting in the back yard, but hiding on the wall next to the door so Rydel couldn't see him. "Right, his name's Joshua Naismith." Rocky said, giving him the book.

Ross came to realisation "That's the man! I was shown him by the Ood!"

"By the what?" Wilf asked.

"By the Ood."

Rocky shook his head slightly "What's the Ood?"

"Oh, just the Ood. It's all part of convergence," Ross looked up in realisation "maybe touching Rydel's subconscious," Ross smiled happily "oh, she's still fighting for us even now. Time Lord Rydel." Rocky and Wilf smiled back, being pleased that Ross was finally happy – or at least looking it.

"Dad, Rocky, what are you both up too?" Sylvia asked as she stepped into the garden.

Sylvia turned to see Ross who moved behind Rocky and looked as if he was readying himself for a fight, Wilf just looked as if he very much wished Sylvia hadn't turned up as well as Rocky. "It's you!" Sylvia hissed "get out of here!"

"Merry Christmas." Ross said, attempting to placate her.

"Merry Christmas. But she can't see you! What if she remembers?!"

Rydel started making her way to the back door "Mom, where are those tweezers?" She asked.

"GO!"

Ross turned away, hearing Rydel's voice "I'm going!"

"Yeah, me too!" Rocky said, following Ross as he ran out of the back door. "Count me too!" Wilf said, following also.

Sylvia's mouth dropped open "Oh, no you don't!"

"Mom? Gramps?" Rydel asked, coming to the back door to see they weren't there anymore.

"Dad! I'm warning you!" Sylvia said as she followed behind a distance away.

Wilf waved back behind his head at her "Bye, bye! See you later!"

Rydel sighed in frustration as she made her way towards the back door "I'm a bit old for hide and seek!"

"Stay right where you are!" Sylvia ordered, well tried too as she knew Wilf probably wasn't going to listen to him. As for Rocky, he could do whatever he pleased as he'd been travelling with Ross in the TARDIS before.

As Ross got to the TARDIS, he glanced at Wilf in irritation "You can't come with me." Ross said. He didn't mind Rocky coming with him again as Rocky knew what it was like out there and he also knew what the Master was like and capable of, so he knew what to expect. But Wilf never, he's just a fragile old man and wouldn't be able to handle all this. There was no way he was putting someone who he classes as a Dad to him in danger.

"Well, you're not leaving me with her!" Wilf said, gesturing to his daughter Sylvia.

"Fair enough." Ross said, before the three of them all bundled into the TARDIS as Sylvia continued to berate them.

"Mom?!" Rydel called in the background, coming out the backdoor.

"Just you listen to me, I forbid it!" Sylvia yelled as the TARDIS doors shut, and it started to dematerialise "get out of there! Ross! Bring my father back right now! Come back here!"

Rydel came out into the street, staring at her mother in confusion who was just screaming at the empty space. "Come back here, I said! Come back!"

"Are you shouting at thin air?" Rydel asked mockingly.

Sylvia came somewhat lost for words as she looked back at Rydel "Yes," she glanced back towards where the TARDIS once was and then looked back "possibly. Yes."

Ross raced around the console of the TARDIS with the book in his hand, making it fly "Naismith," Ross shoved the book at Rocky "if I can track him down…" Ross glanced over at Wilf and realised he was a bit shocked, which he thought may well be the understatement of the year "ah. Right. Yes. Bigger on the inside. Do you like it?" he asked, referring to the TARDIS as he forgot Wilf had never been here before.

"I thought it'd be cleaner." Wilf admitted.

"Cleaner?" Ross asked indignantly, he pointed at Wilf in annoyance "I can take you back home right now!"

Wilf rolled his eyes "Listen, Ross. If this is a time machine, that man you're chasing, why can't you just pop back to yesterday and catch him?" he asked.

Rocky sighed, going over to Wilf as he spoke "He can't go back inside his own timeline," Rocky started to say "he has to stay relative to the Master within the causal nexus." Ross tuned his head and looked at Rocky slightly shocked that he knew that. Rocky's eyes widened, letting his hands fly to his head "Oh my god! How the hell did I know that?!" he asked, turning around.

It turned out all the things Ross explained to Rocky and Laura when they use to travel with him did in fact sink and stick there in his brain.

Ross couldn't help but laugh slightly.

* * *

**Oh my god, no. I just realised the next chapter is the final part of "The End Of Time: Part 1" & that means moving onto "The End Of Time: Part 2" AND I DON'T WANNA MOVE ONTO PART 2 BECAUSE IT HURTS LIKE A BITCH. :((((((((((((( Not to spoil anything for you or anything, but it does hurt like a bitch I'm not gonna lie.**

**So yeah, keep your guesses going about the Narrator & the Woman! :)**

_**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_


	53. The End Of Time: The Master Race

_The Narrator's Voice/Flashbacks _

* * *

_**The End Of Time: The Master Race**_

The TARDIS materialised in an old barn. A barn where they knew the Master was close to with whoever took him and kidnapped him. The doors swung open and Wilf stepped out, in complete amazement "We've moved! We've really moved!"

Rocky and Ross emerged a short while after Wilf stepped out "You should stay here." Ross said to Wilf.

Wilf shook his head "No, not bloody likely!"

"And don't swear!" Ross warned "hold on," he pointed a key at the TARDIS, which made it vanish into thin air, having clearly learned his lesson the last time he faced the Master "just a second out of sync. Don't want the Master finding the TARDIS. That's the last thing we need!"

The three of them soon took off in a run along the outside of the building, darting back round the corner just in time to avoid being spotted by two guards. "That book said he's a billionaire. He's got his own private army!" Rocky whispered, in case of being caught.

Ross glanced towards the covered passage and back at Rocky and Wilf "Down here."

Ross soniced a small door and opened it, disappearing inside where Rocky and Wilf were quick to follow him. They all found themselves eavesdropping outside of a door upon a girl, Addams, in some computer room who was talking to some body, Rossiter, over a p.a. "Miss Addams," Rossiter said over the p.a. to her "we're getting some encouraging results from the ratio fold-back. Can you confirm?"

Addams smiled "The man's a miracle. All the systems are slotting back into place. Shatterthreads have harmonised. The fibrelinks have densified. The multiple over shots have triplicated."

Ross poked his head round the door to see Addams "Nice game!"

Rocky and Wilf poked their heads around the opposite side also "Hello…" Rocky said, giving a little wave.

Ross became smug to Addams as the three men walked into the room fully "Don't try calling security or I'll tell them you're a shimmer. Cos I reckon anyone wearing a shimmer doesn't want the shimmer to be noticed or they wouldn't need a shimmer in the first place."

Addams eyes widened, she attempted to play dumb "I'm s-sorry, what's a 'shimmer'?"

"Shimmer!" Ross said, pointing the sonic at her.

Her image wavered where she turned into a green alien, with spikes coming off her head. She stopped smiling and her pose dropped. Wilf pointed "Oh, my lord, she's a cactus!" He said.

Addams glared at Wilf in irritation as Rossiter, who was also a shimmer, continued to talk over the p.a. "Miss Addams? Miss Addams!" Rossiter turned to Joshua Naismith who was stood a short while away from him with Abigail, along with the Master typing away on the computer to try fix the Immorality Gate so they could use it for whatever they needed to for "if you'll – just excuse me." He said before leaving the room.

Joshua and Abigail shared a smile, understanding exactly what was going on. "Now, please don't imagine I'm a slave driver," Joshua said to the Master, who just smirked and continued to work at top speed on the computer – which was the whole reason why they kidnapped him, to get the Immorality Gate to work "we can resume work on Boxing Day, Mr Worthy."

Abigail looked at her father as if impressed that he was offering kindness to the Master who is, after all, wearing a dog-collar round his neck and _is_ his slave. The Master just didn't know that. "My name – is the Master." The Master said, grimly but with a small smile.

The Master pressed a button and the screen, with fifteen symbols, turned bright red. He tucked his hands behind his head and stretched his neck, pleased with himself with what he had done as the overhead light in the room went out and the Immorality Gate began to glow. Joshua became delighted "Oh! Excellent. Excellent!" he glanced round at the guard "Mr Danes!"

"The visitor will be restrained." Mr Danes ordered.

The Master became confused "What? But I repaired it!" The Master said sarcastically, also having some knowledge that he expected something like this to happen.

"I'm not an idiot!" Joshua said angrily, before looking over at the Immorality Gate "don't let him anywhere near that thing!" As a man approached the Master with a straightjacket, Joshua pulled his daughter into a hug.

Ross dived over at a computer "He got it working, but what is it? What's working?"

Rossiter ran down the hall only to find what was going on and why Addams wasn't responding to him "What are you doing here?" he asked.

Ross pointed the sonic at him, but not taking his eyes off the computer screen "Shimmer!" Rossiter also turned into the same alien Addams was, Addams peered around to Wilf from Rossiter with a warning look on her face – just to warn him not to say anything about them being cactuses. "Now, quickly, tell me, what's going on?" Ross asked, as Rossiter desperately shook his head "Calum Worthy. Skeletor. Whatever you're calling him. What's he doing up there?"

The Master was soon restrained in the straightjacket, not at all bothered by it as he just smiled dangerously as Joshua talked. "Your reputation precedes you, sir. I have no doubt you've laid traps. Perhaps explosives. A means of escape. Murder. But everything you've done to the gate will be checked and double-checked before anyone else stands inside."

As Ross checked the computer, whilst Addams waited with her hands on her hips, Rossiter stepped forward "But I checked the readings. He's done good work. It's operational."

Ross glanced at him "Who are you though? Cos I've met someone like you. He was brilliant. But he was little and red."

Addams spoke frustrated "No, that's a Zocci."

"We're not Zocci, we're Vinvocci! Completely different." Rossiter said.

Ross shrugged a little. "And the Gate is Vinvocci," she sighed "we're a salvage team! We picked up the signal when the humans reactivated it. And as soon as it's working, we transport it to the ship."

"But – what does it _do_?!" Ross asked, irritated.

"Well – it – mends. It's as simple as that," Rossiter said, trying his best to explain even though it was ever so simple "it's a medical device to repair the body. It makes people better."

Ross's suspicion rose as he shook his head "No. There's got to be more. Every single warning says the Master's gonna do something colossal."

Wilf pointed at the machine "So that things like a sickbed, yeah?" Wilf asked.

"More or less…" Addams said.

"Well, pardon me for asking, but why is it so big?"

Ross became a little impressed, Wilf had only been on a quarter of a journey in the TARDIS and already he was asking questions. Something Ratliff, Rocky, Laura, Riker, Maia and Rydel never done. "Oh, good question! Why is it so big?" he asked.

"It doesn't just mend one person at a time." Addams said, fed up.

Rossiter chuckled "That would be ridiculous."

"It mends whole _planets_."

Ross's eyes widened as he finally understood everything and what the Master was obviously going to do, he stared at Addams and Rossiter in confusion and horror "It does what?"

Addams rolled her eyes, becoming careless as she didn't understand why Ross was reacting the way he was "It transmits the medical template across the entire population."

Without so much as another word, Ross ran from the room.

Joshua talked to his daughter as the Master's shackles were being secured around him "But it's time for the broadcast. The Presidents grand initiative. You might want to see this, sir. Proof that the human race can mend its own problems."

As the President started talking on the TV screen, Ross burst through the doors and into the room "Close the Gate up right now!"

"At arms!" Joshua ordered the guards.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" Ross said as the guards aimed their guns at him "w-whatever you do, just don't let him near that device!" Ross said, referring to the Master.

"Oh, like that was ever gonna happen!" The Master said mockingly, before using his power to fling off the straightjacket and collar. He then leaped into the Immorality Gate with a loud roar. Ross stared at the Master in complete horror, knowing that whatever he was going to do, was going to be very, very bad. Especially since he already has it in mind of what he's going to do – that's _if_ he can figure out what else the gate does besides from mending people. Homeless, was I?" The Master asked, even more mockingly "destitute and dying? Well, look at me now!" He said, as the Immorality Gate was working and the Master was glowing inside of it.

"Deactivate it! All of you! Turn the whole thing off!" Ross shouted.

Everyone in the room began to shake their heads in obvious pain, and the Master's laugh from the nightmare could be heard. "He's… inside my head…" Joshua said, speaking with great difficulty.

Ross looked from person to person watching as they struggled before diving towards the machine "Get out of there!"

The Master shot a bolt of power that threw Ross back.

"Ross!" Rocky called, running into the room by himself as Wilf decided to be sensible and stay back with the aliens "Ross, there's… there's this face."

Ross ran over to Rocky concerned "What is it, what can you see?"

"Well, it's him! I can see him! I keep seeing his face!"

Ross looked back at the Immorality Gate after seeing the President on the TV with his face in his hands, which was the same as everyone else in the room "I can't turn it off!"

"That's because I locked it! Idiot!" The Master sneered.

Ross grabbed Rocky's hand and pulled him into one of the secure rooms, which was basically just a glass unbreakable casing with buttons in for something "Rocky! Get inside there now!"

Rocky unlocked the other door, as there were two secure glass rooms, and let himself into it, pushing the former occupant out. Ross began to play with the dials in the other room "Just need to filter the levels."

Rocky touched his temples "Oh, I can't see him now – he's gone!"

"Radiation shielding. Now press the button and let me out."

"Do what?"

"I can't get out of this room until you press the button. That button there!" Ross said, pointing to a large red one in the centre of a panel in front of Rocky through the other glass.

Rocky finally got it and unlocked the door by pressing the red button, letting Ross out. "Fifty seconds and counting." The Master said.

"To what?!" Ross asked.

The Master chuckled "Oh, you're gonna love this!"

Rossiter started to panic as he, Addams and Wilf were both down in the same room Rocky and Ross had left them in "He was hiking the codes. He's extrapolating the gate power a million times over!" He said, already making sure that Wilf wasn't going to be effected by whatever the Master was doing.

"It's not affected us!" Addams said confused.

"He's set the template for human!"

As Ross worked frantically, Rocky's phone started ringing. He pulled his phone, only to see Rydel was his incoming caller. He answered it "Rydel?"

"Where are you?" Rydel asked, slightly shaken as she was looking at her Mom and Shaun, knowing something weird was happening to them "it's my Mom and Shaun. Something's wrong with them."

Sylvia couldn't help but stare into space "There's this face…" She said, before her and Shaun got a glimpse of the Master laughing.

"Wait a minute," Rocky said, becoming slightly concerned "what about you? Can't you see anything?"

"I can see them! That's bad enough!" Rydel said as she felt like she was going to cry.

But something in her mind started to trigger.

Rocky went to answer Rydel but her phone started ringing again, he sighed looking down at it to find someone else calling him. He clicked the answer button "Ryan?" He asked "w-why are you calling me?!"

Ryan held his head as he looked around at the people around him "Rocky, those dreams! I can remember them! That face!" He said, in obvious pain and if he was honest he felt like he was going to die "Rocky! It's everyone!" he said panicked as he saw a little boy in the same pain he was, saying the same thing about a face.

"R-Ryan just try to hold on!" Rocky said, raising his voice slightly – only for the line on Ryan's side to go completely dead. "R-Ryan? Are you still there? Ryan?" Rocky took the phone away from his ear, only to see Ryan had gone from the phone. Did… did the Master just kill him?

No.

Oh no.

As Rocky looked at Ross with wide eyes in horror, Ross spun round from looking at Rocky and looked at the Master "What is it – hypnotism? Mind control? You're grafting your thoughts inside them, is that it?"

"Ooh, that's way too easy! No, no, no. They're not gonna _think_ like me," He said, as if building up the tension "they're gonna _become_ me!" The Master then held out his arms "and – zero!"

A brilliant light shot out of the machine, through the room and across the entire planet. Everyone began to madly shake their heads.

Rydel, obviously not affected by this, started to stare at her Mother and Shaun whose heads who were shaking madly, and Rydel was almost on tears at what was happening to them. Faces beginning to flicker into the Master's features.

"He can't have!" Ross said fiercely.

"What is it?" Rocky asked, confused and afraid after finally switching the phone back over to Rydel's call from Ryan's.

Finally, everyone stopped shaking, only to look exactly like the Master. Rydel stared, shocked and horrified, at her former mother and fiancée. "But they've changed!" Rydel said, shocked and almost at tears "Rocky, it's like – like the sort of thing that happened – before…" she said, her mind starting to do something very weird to her.

_Rydel started to speak this time, in the bid to distract the Racnoss "But that's what I've got inside me, that Huon energy thing," Rydel saw the Racnoss's head beginning to wonder._

_Davros looked over at Rydel "You will suffer for this!" he said, holding up his hand again._

_Rydel cocked her head on one side as if she didn't think so, somehow._

Rydel reached for her forehead in obvious agony as she started to have flashbacks of the Racnoss, the Vespiform, Sontaran's, Dalek Caan, Pyrovillia, Ood and the Dalek's. "My head!" Rydel said in pain as tears struck at her eyes "oh, my head! Oh, my head!"

Rocky's eyes widened as he realised "ROSS!" Rocky shouted at his loudest, Ross looked over at Rocky seeing Rocky was almost in tears "Rydel's starting to remember!" Rocky called over at him, he looked over at the Master "what is it?! What have you done?!" he yelled.

The Master turned and looked at Wilf "Oh, I'm sorry, are you talking to me?!" He asked.

"Or me?" Another Master asked, wearing Joshua's clothes.

"Or me?" The Master next to Joshua said, who was wearing Abigail's clothes.

"Or to me." A Master wearing Danes clothes said.

"Or to us." The Master wearing the guards clothes said.

The original Master stepped out of the Gate and walked over to the other version of himself in the room "The human race has always been your favourite, Ross," Ross stood facing him, looking completely helpless "but now there is no human race. There is only the Master Race!"

The original Master started to laugh as Ross looked on in horror and Rydel clutched onto her head as more unknown flash backs came back to her.

_Rydel finally managed to break into the room, seeing Stacy was gone – only with her clothes lying on the floor. She looked over to the window where the last Adipose was stood, waving at Rydel before it jumped out of the window._

_"Three weeks' time. But you've got to be certain. Because, when you come with me, Rydel… sorry… so sorry, but… you're gonna die." Ratliff said._

As the Master laughed, his laugh echoed through the entire world as various incarnations of him began to laugh ALL over the world.

And mean while….

Further out of space:

_And so it came to pass, on Christmas day that the human race did cease to exist. But even then, the Master had no concept of his greater role in events, for this was far more than humanity's end._

_This was the day which the whole of creation would change forever._

_This was the day…_

_The Time Lords returned._

_For Gallifrey._

_For victory._

_For the end of time itself._

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**Well, this chapter was a lot shorter than I thought it was going to be... I thought it was going to be like 4 or 5 thousand words..**

**Oh, and if you didn't get it... the Narrator's voice is the voice of the Lord President of Gallifrey AKA the Time Lords.**

**PLEASE READ: There are TWO trailers for the FINAL 3 or 4 chapters of this story at the top of my profile. PLEASE WATCH :D as.. I think it's the very last thing I'm making for this story :)**

**Oh yeah and also... HAPPY ONE YEAR OF ROSSLINGTON BYE.**

_**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_


	54. The End Of Time: Gallifrey

_**Okay...So I was wondering since this story is drawing to a close in about 2 or 3 chapters times if you could all just like review and tell me your opinion on the chapter and what happens seen as though it's what other people do and there's about fucking 14 people who follow and 16 who favourite and only, what, 4 or 5 people review out of that? That's not even half and it's fucking ridiculous. I'm not fishing for reviews or threatening because you know I don't like that. All I'm saying, is that by reviewing chapters might (definitely will) come faster than normal and it actually makes the writer feel like they're doing something right with the story. **_

_**Okay?**_

_**Sorry to start the chapter off like that... AGAIN. -_-**_

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_**The End Of Time: Gallifrey**_

Gallifrey, in all its golden and orange glory just sat there stuck in the Time War with the Dalek's. The Citadel was encased in a crystal orb, however the orb was shattered and smoke poured from the towers of the Citadel with Dalek space ships littering the ground around them. The Lord President left several other Time Lords in full robes and collars along a hallway and a raised platform. Massive doors slid open as they approached, entering a conference room and the President took his seat at the head of the table. "What news of Ross?" The Lord President asked.

"He's disappeared." A Time Lord, who was sat on the table.

A Female Time Lord who was also sat on the table started to speak up "But we know his intention. He still possesses the moment. And he'll use it to destroy the Dalek's and Time Lords alike."

The Visionary, who was sat on the far end of the table, started speaking in a dreamy voice with a little giggle before stared intently, her eyes wide "Burning, falling, all of it falling! The black and pitch and screaming fire. So burning!"

"All her prophecies say the same. That this is the last day of the Time War. That Gallifrey falls," he said as the Visionary looked back down at her page and sketched circular images "and then we die," he started nodding "today." This only made the Lord President look upset.

"Ending. Ending. Ending! Ending!" The Visionary kept repeating.

"Perhaps… it's time," The Female Time Lord started to speak once more "this is only the furthest edge of the Time War," she said as the Lord President inhaled a deep breath, clearly angry at what she was suggesting "bit at its heart, millions die every second. Lost in bloodlust and insanity."

The Visionary looked up from what she was doing and over to the Lord President, knowing what he planned to do in his mind. "With time itself resurrecting them to find new ways of dying over and over again," The Female Time Lord spoke passionately "a travesty of life. Isn't it better to end it at last?"

The Lord President pushed his char back and stood up, furiously "Thank you for your opinion!" He said between clenched teeth. He thrusted out his left hand, on which he was wearing a metal glove, which shot blue power in the direction of the female Time Lord who screamed as she faded into black smoke. "I will not die!" The Lord President screamed, glaring at everyone around the table "do you heat me?! A billion years of Time Lord History riding on our backs. I will not let this perish. I will not!" after his outburst, the Lord President fell back into his chair.

A moment of silenced followed for a short while after, only to be broken by the scratching of the Visionary's pen. "There is, erm…" A Time Lord spoke, picking up a scroll from beside the Visionary and nervously getting up from his chair "there is one part of the prophecy, my Lord," he hesitated beside the Lord President after witnessing what just happened to the female time lord "forgive me. I'm sorry," he said as she started to unroll it "it's rather – difficult to decipher. But it talks of two survivors. Beyond the final day. Two children of Gallifrey."

"Does it name them?" The Lord President asked, desperately.

"It foresees them locked in their **_final_** confrontation. The enmity of ages, who would suggest…"

"Ross!" The Lord President said, furiously spitting out his words – and then coming to realisation "and the Master…"

"One word keeps being repeated, my Lord. One constant word. Earth."

"Earth. Earth. Earth. Earth. Earth. Earth…" The Visionary said with increasing urgency.

"The planet Earth," the other Time Lord went on "indigenous species: the human race."

The Lord President stared at the table for a moment before a projection of the Earth was shone above them in the black room. "Maybe that's where the answer lies. Our salvation!" He said with hope. He stood up and looked at the image "on Earth."

A male laugh echoed throughout the conference room.

Ross was strapped to the table that the Master was on before when he had first gotten here, with a gag over his mouth and tension in his eyes and on his face. He didn't look frightened so much as irritated as the Master was stood by his side, speaking softly into Ross's ear "Now then, I've got a planet to run." He said.

Rocky was tired up in a chair opposite Ross, looking extremely distressed. The trio were all in the room where Joshua and Abigail had watched the initial footage of the Master escaping the ruins of the Broadfell prison. "Is everybody ready?" The Master asked.

"Six billion, seven hundred and twenty-seven million, nine hundred and forty-nine thousand, three hundred and thirty eight versions of us awaiting orders." Joshua!Master said.

The Master looked impress with his own skills and smirks in the direction of Ross, who was still gagged. President!Master grinned "This is Washington. As President of the United States, I can transfer all the United Nations protocols to you immediately, putting you in charge of all the Earth's defences."

"Unit H.Q. Geneva reporting," Head of UNIT!Master said "all under your command, sir." He touched his hat, grinning.

"And this is the Central Military Commision here in Beijing, sir!" The Head of Chinese Military!Master said. The Master winked at Rocky, who gave him a startled look as if he didn't know what to make of this. The Chinese Military!Master went on to speak "with over 2.5 million soldiers, sir!" he turned on the intercoms "present arms!"

A mass of the Masters in Chinese Military uniform stood in front of the gate to the Forbidden City. All present arms. "Enough soldiers and weapons to turn this planet into a warship," The Master said, to Ross who was staring at Rocky "nothing to say? Ross? What's that?" The Master asked with mock concern as Ross breathed heavily. He moved over to him as if he was worried "Pardon?" He asked "sorry?!" The Master asked sternly as Ross finally made an unintelligible sound.

"You let him go!" Rocky said angrily.

The Master sighed "Oh, your 'big' brother's still kicking up a fuss!"

"Yeah? Well, I'd be proud if I was!" Rocky said defiantly. But to be honest, he thinks he and Ross have come a long way and could actually be classed as brothers. Heck, anybody who's travelled with Ross could be classed as his family – well, except for Ratliff because on some of the levels they're on with each other.

Even though they're never going to see each other again.

The Master held up a finger to his lips "Hush now! Listen to your Master!" the Master glared at Rocky threateningly and then turned away before a phone suddenly rang, making the Master look at Ross. All Ross did was just stare at Wilf as if he knew what was coming. "But th-that's a mobile!" The Master said, shocked and confused.

Rocky chuckled awkwardly "Yeah, it's mine. Let me turn it off."

"No, no, no, no, no, no! I don't think you understand," The Master said going over to Rocky "everyone on this planet is me. And I'm not phoning you, so who the hell is that?!"

"Nobody, I swear, it's nothing!" Rocky said weakly as the Master pawed him to find his phone "it's probably one of them ring-back calls."

The Master found something in one of Rocky's back pockets, but it wasn't his phone. He pulled it out to reveal a gun – the gun Wilf had given Rocky to protect himself with to go find Ross. The Master held up the gun in a demonstration of Ross "Ooh, look at this! Good man!" He said, tossing the gun away and continuing to go through Rocky's trouser pockets to find the phone seen as though the t-shirt he was wearing obviously had no pockets on it, did it? Ross frowned as the Master pulled out the phone and stared at it.

_Incoming call: Rydel Lynch_

"Rydel. Who's Rydel?" The Master asked.

"She's no one! Just leave it!" Rocky said, desperately trying to act casual. But it was too late as the Master had already activated the call.

"Rocky, don't hang up," Rydel begged, sounding tearful and terrified as she could of sworn her head felt like it was about to set on fire. "You've got to help me! I ran out! Everyone was changing?"

The Master looked at Rocky suspiciously "Who is she? Why didn't she change?"

"Rocky, I can't hear you."

Rocky nodded at Ross "Well, it was this thing Ross did. He did it to her. The meta-crisis."

The Master looked towards Ross "Oh, he loves playing with Earth Girls and Boys!" He said disdainfully. Ross stared at Rocky and glanced anxiously at the Master wondering what was going to happen to Rydel.

"Are you there?" Rydel asked through the phone "can you still hear me?"

"Find her! Trace the call!" The Master ordered.

"Trace the call!" Joshua!Master ordered.

"Are you still there?" Rydel asked.

The Master turned on the phone to loud speaker and ran over to Rocky, kneeling beside him "Say goodbye to the freak, Rocky!"

"Rydel, get out of there!" Rocky said through the phone. In tears, Rydel started to run out of the alleyway as fast as she could. "Well, just get out of there! I'm telling you, run!"

The signal started to triangulate on Rydel's location. "She's on Wessex Lane, Chiswick. Everyone one Wessex Lane, red alert." Joshua!Master said.

"What do I do?" Rydel asked.

"Run, Rydel! That's all! Run for your life!" Rocky said as the Master looked at him with a mocking expression that combined hope and misery.

Rydel turned round a corner in the alleyway but soon stopped as she saw a Master in a shirt wearing a blue windcheater stepping into the lane. She turned around to find another exit, but there was another Master in a shirt wearing a blue and pink tie block the other end. "There's more of them…" Rydel said faintly.

"Rydel! What's happening? Are you still there?" Rocky asked.

"They're everywhere!" Rydel said as more Masters in various outfits entered the lane.

"Rydel! Look, I'm tell you to run, Rydel!"

Back in the Naismith office, the Master smirked at Ross as Rocky was almost in tears. "Just run, Rydel! Just run!" he begged.

Rydel looked around as the various Masters began to walk towards her, where her free hand started to creep towards her head "But it's not just them…" She said.

That was when she caught a glimpse of Pyrovillia, from the time her and Ross had gone to Pompeii.

Wait… how did she know that?

"I can see those things again!" Rydel said as her head was starting to hurt once more.

Next, she got a glimpse of Dalek Caan.

"Those creatures!"

Then a glimpse of the Adipose.

"Why can I see some boy who I've never seen before in my life?!" Rydel screamed in pain, as she was remembering who Ratliff was from the time she got trapped in that Parallel World.

Rocky shook his head, trying his best to keep it together as Rydel kept on pressing her hand to her head "Don't think about that, Rydel! Don't!"

"But it hurts! My head!" Rydel screamed in agony.

Now she caught a glimpse of the Racnoss, the giant red spider, from the time when she had first ever met Ross – still not knowing who the hell he was and why that name was popping into her head as she saw these things.

"It keeps getting hotter…"

She then caught a glimpse of a red eyed Ood.

"And hotter!" She said, her voice getting higher in pitch as the pain became more unbearable. A grinning Master in a bow-tie and vest started walking towards her. "And hotter! And hotter! And hotter!" Rydel kept on repeating, as by now her head was practically burning.

That's was when the last ever image Rydel would ever see in her life came to her head.

Ross drenched with water as he was in the basement of H.C. Clements, facing the red spider and Rydel was trying to get him to stop.

_Rydel watched as this all went on, realising it was enough. She looked up to Ross from underneath him "Ross! You can stop now!" she called up._

_But Ross couldn't stop – he watched the Racnoss writhe and wail in agony with dark eyes, full of some secret pain and then – "Come on! Time I got you out!" Ross and Rydel then started running up the stairs, soaking wet from all the water._

With a final scream, Rydel threw her head back as the same orange energy Ross released from himself, when he had gotten shot by the Dalek, poured out of her in a wave of golden light. It knocked down all the Masters, who collapsed.

Rydel looked around in confusion "Now what did I…?" Rydel asked weakly. But that was it for her.

She just collapsed to the floor.

Going out like a light.

Rocky looked down at the phone in concern after hearing a sort of explosion from the other end, as the Master looked at Rocky grimly "Rydel? What was that?" He asked, his voice shaking. Ross, who was still gagged, watched Rocky – swallowing painfully, upset by Rocky's reaction. "Rydel? Rydel, are you there?" Rocky asked tearfully.

The Master turned to glare at Ross, who was now smiling as if he was satisfied – which just confused the Master even more.

Why would Ross be happy that his best friend was now dead and gone forever?

Ross winked at the Master as Rocky continued to plead Rydel to talk to him, even though he knew that she was dead – he was just hoping he was wrong. But Rocky stopped speaking as he saw the look on Ross's face. The Master got up from where he was and crossed the floor to Ross, yanking the gag off impatiently. "That's better! Hello!" Ross said lightly "but really – did you think I'd leave my best friend without a defence mechanism?" he raised his eyebrows at the Master who sneered at him.

"Ross? What happened?" Rocky asked, anxiously.

"She's alright," Ross said as the Master glared at him "she's fine. Promise. She'll just sleep. She's more than alive." He grinned.

"Tell me, where's your TARDIS?" The Master asked, softly but threateningly.

"You could be so wonderful." Ross said thoughtfully.

"Where is it?" The Master asked, insistent.

"You're a genius," Ross went on "stone cold brilliant, you are. I swear, you really are! But you could be so much more. You can be beautiful with a mind like that," Ross said, beginning to speak longing "we can travel the stars. It would be my honour. Cos you don't need to own the universe – just see it. To have the privilege of seeing all of time and space… that's ownership enough."

The Master hesitated and swallowed hard, as if almost tempted "W-would it stop then? The noise in my head?" he asked.

"I can help."

The Master shook his head as his eyes filled with tears "Don't know what I'd do without that noise."

"I wonder what I'd be without you." Ross admitted, speaking thoughtfully.

"Yeah." The Master replied, tearfully and sniffing slightly.

Rocky felt like it was a bad time to interrupt the little heartfelt moment, but he's Rocky Lynch. He was born to interrupt heartfelt moments. "D-don't mean to interrupt or anything," he said, leaning forwards slightly "but what does he mean? What noise? Is it the same noise you were talking about the last time you tried to destroy the planet?" he asked, doing his best not to make the last part come out as harsh as he had hoped.

The Master turned around, walking slowly towards Rocky "It began on Gallifrey…"

_A small boy, the Master, walked through a darkened area ground which was lit only by torches, with an older Time Lord behind him._

"As children. Not that you'd call it childhood!" The Master went on. The Master walked away to look out of the window as Ross watched him in concern, he sat at a desk "more a life of – duty," The Master glanced at Rocky "eight years old."

_The boy walked across the ground and looked back anxiously at the older man behind him, before being urged to go on._

"I was taken for initiation. To stare into the untempered schism."

Rocky shook his head slightly "What does that mean?"

"It's a gap in the fabric of reality," Ross said, softly "you can see into the Time Vortex itself," he paused, speaking painfully "and it hurts."

The Master watched Ross, who looked at him sympathetically – whereas the Master was just looking bitter and angry "They took me there. In the dark. We looked into time."

_The boy stared into the untempered schism with wide eyes._

"And I hear it. Calling me. Drums," The Master stared at the ceiling "the never-ending drums."

"The untempered schism. That's when it began." The Lord President said, as a hologram of the untempered schism was showed above the conference table in Gallifrey.

"History says the Master heard a rhythm. A torment that stayed with him for the rest of his life." A Time Lord on the table said.

"A drumbeat. A warrior's march." The Lord President said, authoritatively.

The same Time Lord nodded, his face working with distress "A symptom of insanity, my Lord."

The Visionary started to repeatedly tap out four beats on the wooden table with her fingernail. The very, near enough, same pattern the Master could and always hears. And the whole entire room just echoed with that four beat rhythm. The Lord President leaned forwards on his chair, looking at the finger that the Visionary was tapping with, with some sort of smirk/grin.

"The rhythm of four. The heartbeat of a Time Lord."

The Master sat on his chair with his head back "Listen to it," He said, glancing at Ross who was watching him with one eyebrow arched "listen!"

"Then let's find it… you and me." Ross said, looking hopeful.

"Except…" The Master said, as realisation hit "oh. Oh, wait a minute! Oh, yes! Oh, that's good!"

"What? What is it?" Ross asked, suddenly becoming worried.

"The noise exists within my head. And now within six billion heads! Everyone on Earth can hear it! Imagine – ohhh! Oh, yes!"

Ross looked at the Master in concern, clearly worried that another bout of insanity was about to burst out from him. He wasn't wrong. The Master began to laugh and suddenly flashed the blue of the skeletal figure through him again where a roaring noise was heard and Ross began to look anxious as the Master suddenly sunk to his knees. "The Gate wasn't enough!" Ross said "you're still dying!"

"This body was born out of death. All it can do is die," The Master said, suddenly straightening "but what did you say to me? Back in the wasteland? You said the end of time."

"I said something is returning," Ross said, speaking pleadingly "I was shown a prophecy. That's why I needed your help!"

The Master pointed at his face "What if I'm part of it? Don't you see? The drumbeat is calling from _so_ far away! From the end of time itself! And now it's been amplified six billion times! Triangulate all those signals! I could find its source! Oh, Ross. That's what your prophecy was… Me!"

Meaning, the Master would be the one to kill Ross. After all, Ross WAS told that when he heard four knocks… he would die. And the Master has a drumbeat rhythm in his head he keeps knocking out of FOUR beats. AKA… four knocks. He was going to kill Ross – but neither of them knew that. Yet.

Ross just stared at the Master blankly, as if he was even more completely and utterly insane than ever before. The Master raised his hand and slapped the side of Ross's head – Ross closed his eyes in pain and swallowed hard. "Where's the TARDIS?" The Master asked threateningly.

"Just stop. Just think!" Ross begged.

The Master pointed at Rocky "Kill him." He ordered.

A guard turned off the safety of his gun with a click and marched across the room to Rocky, the Master turned and followed the guard for several paces "I need that technology, Ross! Tell me where it is, or your little friend here dies!"

"Don't tell him!" Rocky said defiantly.

"I'll kill him right now!" The Master yelled.

Rocky tensed, staring at the Master. Ross looked at him before speaking, his tone suddenly light and mocking "Actually, the most impressive thing about is that, after all this time, you're still bone dead stupid." Ross said.

The Master rolled his neck, staring almost dumbly at Ross "Take aim."

Ross eyed the ceiling "You've got six billion pairs of eyes, but you still can't see the obvious, can you?"

"Like that?!" The Master asked, desperate to know.

"That guard is one inch too tall."

The Master turned back sharply to look at the guard, who swung his rifle butt against the Master's head, knocking him out clean onto the floor. The guard removed his helmet to reveal the green skin of Rossiter, the male Vinvocci "Oh my God, it hit him! I've never hit anybody in my life!" Rossiter said in panic, but in some sort of adrenaline as well.

The door of the room was thrown open where Addams and Wilf ran in "Well, come on!" Addams said, running to Rocky's chair and pulled out something to cut the bonds "we need to get out of here fast!"

"God bless the Cactuses." Rocky said as he wriggled off the ropes.

"That's Cacti!" Ross said, from where he was still strapped in.

"That's racist!" Rossiter said, indignantly.

Joshua!Master fiddled with his cuffs "This prophecy of yours, Ross. Where did it come from?" He frowned at the apparently empty room as he entered it Ross?"

"Come on! We've got to get out!" Addams said, removing Rocky's ropes.

Rossiter struggled to undo the ties around Ross as Ross also fought to free himself "There's too many buckles and straps!"

"Just – wheel him!" Addams said, waving her hand.

"No. No! No!" Ross said panicking as Rossiter started to do what Addams said, wheeling him as he was strapped in "get me out! No! N-Don't! Don't!"

Rocky decided to help Rossiter to push Ross along in the wheel-table thing he was strapped too so they could go faster. They both pushed him past the unconscious body of the Master lying on the floor of the office. However, it also pushed past the CCTV camera so that Joshua!Master saw it. "What's going on?! Ross!" Joshua!Master shouted.

"Which way?!" Rossiter asked as he and Rocky pushed Ross along the hallway with Addams and Wilf nearby to them.

"This way!" Addams said, striding ahead.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no! The other way!" Ross said urgently, being ticked off and panicked that he was restricted to move "back to my TARDIS!"

"I know what I'm doing!" Addams snapped at Ross.

"No, no, no, no. Just – just listen to meee!"

The Master slowly got up to his feet, clinging to his head in pain as the other Master's entered the room in guard uniform "Find him. Find him!" The Master ordered.

"Not the stairs. Not the stairs!" Ross said desperately, as some how he thought Rocky was enjoying this as he and Rossiter pushed him along very quickly.

Addams began running down the stairs, Rossiter and Rocky pushed Ross down with them with Wilf following. "No!" Ross said, with incoherent noises of pain and unhappiness as he bounced down the stairs on the wheelie-thing he was attached too "worst rescue ever!"

"Underneath the gate bridge sir!" A Random!Master said.

"Basement! Get him!" Joshua!Master ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Guard!Master's obeyed as the original Master started to lead the others to the basement.

"Just – just stop and listen to me!" Ross raised his voice.

Addams hurried them all towards the computer terminal when other guard!Master's came down the opposite stairs, trapping them. The guards prepared to fire as the Master arrived and grinned "Gotcha!" He said.

"You think so?" Addams asked, bringing her arm up and pressing her watch, even as Ross protested.

"No, no, no, no, don't!" Ross protested.

But it was too late as the five of them disappeared and reappeared on an alien ship in space just on the outside of Earth. Ross still bounced in the chair, struggling to get himself free "Now get me out of this thing!"

"Don't say thanks, will you?" Addams asked, annoyed.

"He's not gonna let us go!" Ross panicked "just hurry up and get me out!"

Meanwhile, Wilf, who was completely stunned, walked towards the window that showed the view of the Earth from space. He'd always dreamed of going into space – and here he was. On top of the world practically.

"Come on!" Ross yelled, wiggling about as Rocky, Rossiter and Addams undone the buckles and whatever else that was being used to attack him to this thing he was on.

"Oh, my goodness me! We're in space!" Wilf said, completely amazed.

"Get me out!"

"ALRIGHT!" Addams shouted.

"Get a move on!"

The Master typed frantically on a computer. "Open the teleport and follow him." A Random!Master ordered.

Ross, pedalling wildly with his feet, just grew more in desperation and panic as they were all trying to get him out of the mess he was tied to "Come on!"

"ALRIGHT!" Addams shouted again, this time more frustrated.

Finally free, Ross bundled off the vertical table and hauled the sonic screwdriver out of his pockets as he leaped onto one of the computers, zapping it and sending off a shower of sparks.

The Master ran from one part of the computer to another, searching for them "They're still up there. Target practice."

"Where's your flight deck?" Ross asked, turning round to Addams.

"But we're safe! We're a hundred above Earth!" She said.

Ross rolled his eyes, as if Addams wasn't getting the whole point of this "And he's got every single missile on the planet ready to fire!"

"Good point!" Addams said, after staring at him for a moment in shock. Now that she _didn't_ know.

The Vinvocci, Rossiter and Addams, took off for the flight deck as Ross and Rocky started to follow them. But Ross ran back to grab Wilf, he gently took his arm and started leading him in the direction the Vinvocci and Rocky had gone "But we're in space!" Wilf said weakly, pointing over to the Earth.

"Yup…" Ross said, pulling him away. Wilf chuckled lightly and followed Ross.

All five people ran through various hallways of the ship. Wilf panted hard, struggling hard to keep up but not giving in.

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**I'd say this story has the maximum of 3 chapters left I'm afraid... and all I'm saying is that the next one will come a whole lot quicker if you review and don't be all like "aw, the story's nearly over so there's no point" like I said at the beginning... there is a fucking point to it. -_- & I'm not complaining (in a way) this story almost has 400 reviews and I'm so freaking happy it does because I didn't think it would ever get this far tbh. **

**Apart from that, thank you so much for reading this chapter! It was a long one and I did promise myself never to do long chapters again, but it had to be done because if I split it all up it wouldn't of made sense at all. This long chapter is just basically for all the people who actually appreciate the long chapters and love this story :)**

**Thanks! :D**

_**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_


	55. The End Of Time: The White Point Star

**Argh I'm literally crying at how fast the end of this story is coming cx I won't give anything away about the ending though :)**

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_**The End Of Time: The White Point Star**_

"We've got to close it down!" Ross shouted, as he was bolting around the Vinvocci spaceship – knowing that no doubt the Master would be looking for them.

Rossiter stared to work the computers "No chance, mate. We're going home!"

Addams frantically put pieces together on the ship "We're just a salvage team!" She said, working about "local politics has got nothing to do with us. Not unless it's a carnival. The sooner we get back to Vinvocci space, the better."

Ross glanced over his shoulder at Addams, realising what she meant "We're not leaving!" he aimed the sonic at the computer, making it explode. Rossiter and Addams leaped backwards as the power in the spaceship died down with an electronic whine – lights all over the ship gradually turned off as it happened. Ross put away the screwdriver and looked around at all the inhabitants of the ship before he held his finger to his slips "Shh!" Ross hushed everyone.

Everyone looked around in obvious fear of discovery. Rossiter swallowed hard as Addams listened as the metal around them began to creak with the ship starting to cool down.

"Sorry, sir. Nothing." Unit! Master said ruefully through the computer screen to The Master.

Head of Unit! Master sighed deeply "Lost him."

"What about the teleport co-ordinates?" The Master asked grimly "I need that information!"

A Guard! Master crossed to the computer that had been used for Ross, Rocky, Wilf, Addams and Rossiter to transport out and he entered information into the computer. "He's cut the link," he said "no trace, all dead. Still…" he put up his gun and all the other guards done the same, pointing it over to the computer "open fire!"

The guards fired onto the computer, destroying it – and as this happened The Master almost looked sad as he heard the destruction. "No way back now!" Guard! Master said, almost satisfied "he's stranded."

Rossiter flicked switches on the ship, trying his damn best to get the machines to come back to life whilst Addams was peering out of the window where she finally turned to Ross. She had literally never met anybody in her entire life time who could be so freaking annoying. "No sign of any – missiles. No sign of –anything!" She said sarcastically before turning on him "you've wrecked the place!"

"The engines are burned out," Rossiter said from one of the computers he was trying to get to work and switch back on "all we've got is auxiliary lights," he turned them on "everything else – is kaput. We can't move. We're stuck – in orbit."

Addams turned back round to Ross "Thanks to you. You _idiot_!" She turned back around and stormed off.

"Yeah, I know you, though," Rocky said trustingly, with a hopeful smile on his face as he walked over to Ross "I bet you've got a plan, haven't you? Eh? Come on! You've always got a trick up your sleeve! A nice little bit of the old 'Ross flim-flam haa-ha' sort of thing?" Rocky asked, but when Ross glanced at Rocky it only made Rocky become more anxious. Rocky turned around, running his hands through his hair as he walked away "Oh my god, we're gonna die." He said, finally coming to realisation that Ross had no plan what so ever.

The Master walked through the Immorality Gate, his fingers were steepled and pressed to his lips, deep in thought before he looked over at Joshua!Master "Night has fallen. Are we ready?" The Master asked.

Joshua!Master nodded "Every single one of us is prepared."

"Then we listen! All of us. Across the world," The Master closed his eyes "just listen!" all the other Masters across the whole entire world all shut their eyes "concentrate. Find the signal."

As everyone concentrated, the sound of _four_ _knocks_ became louder and the original Master's eyes snapped open. "There! The sound is tangible. Someone could only have designed this!" The Master said, then furrowing his brow and scrunching up his face in utter confusion "but who…?"

The Time Lords were all still sat at the table on Gallifrey as the Time War continued to go on outside. One Time Lord sat breathless.

"The signal has been sent. The simple task of four beats, transmitted back through time and implanted in the Master's mind as a child." The Time Lord said, speaking breathlessly. In which now, everyone could see why the Master has four knocks in his head.

"Then we have a link to where the Master is right now!" The Lord President said, grimly satisfied.

"But we're still trapped inside the Time Lock, sir," A Time Lord said nervously "the-the link is nothing more than – a thought! An idea!"

"Then we need something to make the contact physical! Something… so simple…" Lord President said angrily.

"So small and shining," The Visionary started to speak once more "shining bright and cold. A tiny, tiny star falling. Falling. Burning. Burning. Burning!"

The Lord President was then handed a massive rod that had a shining silver object at one end of it "Something small enough to follow the link," he said as he looked at the silver object. He then pulled put the diamond that was on the rod "and if this were on Earth… A white point star…" without so much as another word, the Lord President hurled the diamond towards the projection of Earth that was shown before him and the Time Lords.

On the Vinvocci ship, Ross was pulling at various wires and cables, trying to get the ship started again. He turned his head as something shiny caught his eye…

He looked out of the window and towards planet Earth in time to see what appeared to be a shooting star over the planet.

But… this confused Ross…

Shooting stars aren't that bright on Earth…

Joshua!Master looked up at the sky where also he was seeing this 'shooting star' "Sir, it's coming from above!" He said.

The Master looked up to the sky also "It's coming from above!" he said as all the Masters ran outside. The Master pointed at the 'shooting star' "there! Find it. Get out there and find it!"

All of a sudden there was a loud boom as the Masters went out to find the star, the ground shook as this shooting star landed on Earth. Jeeps pulled up beside a blazing pile of rubble and guards got out, directing lights into the burning ground. Finally one of the guards stopped and spotted the gem on the ground (the gem Lord President had thrown from Gallifrey into the projection of Earth). "It's a diamond, sir! Oh, the most impossible diamond! You won't believe this…" He said, as realisation hit the Guard!Master.

The Master just listened at shock at this.

No way. It couldn't be. Could it?

"It's a white point star!"

A smile flickered over the Masters face and tears started to form in his eyes as he looked upwards and started to laugh in pure joy, flashing from normal to skeletal and back. It was Gallifrey. After all these years, hundreds and hundreds and thousands of years, of it being gone… it was finally back.

Rocky wandered through the hallways of the Vinvocci ship. He doesn't know how he ended up here, he thinks he might have took a wrong turn or something trying to get back to the room where Ross was with Wilf, Addams and Rossiter. He looked around at the pipes that were going across the room as he walked along the metal rackety floor as some of the pipes released smoke.

Yeah, he was definitely lost.

"Ross?" Rocky asked faintly "hello? Hello," he walked down yet another one of passages in the Vinvocci ship and peered into the shadows "is that you?" he asked, hearing a noise. But all he could see was a bright shining white light at the end of the passage, he couldn't help but be drawn to it "Ross? Anyone? _Anyone_?! Oh, I'm definitely lost… on a spaceship… in space. Great. I'm going to die in space."

"And yet you are found. Goodness Rocky, you're such an idiot sometimes, you know that?" A female voice said from behind him.

Rocky spun round at the female voice, seeing the same woman from when he and Wilf were in the church and when she appeared on Wilf's TV screen. Still dressed the same way. Now, he didn't know who the heck the woman was… but by the way she was speaking he recognised it.

"Events are closing," The woman said, tremulously "the day is almost upon us. But tell me, young soldier, did you take arms?"

Rocky stared at the woman in confusion, almost forgetting he still hadn't gave Wilf his gun back from earlier. Did she mean the gun? He pulled it out of his back pocket and showed her it "Um. I got this. It's not mine… I forgot to give it—"Rocky stopped as he saw the look the woman was giving him, a look that was telling him he had to use that gun for something, against someone or for someone's own good…

He was drawn to the third one almost immediately.

"What am I supposed to do?" Rocky asked, in confusion.

"This is Ross's final battle," The Woman said, her face working with emotion "the end of his life. He must stand at arms. Or lose himself and all this world to the end of time."

Rocky shook his head, still not getting what she meant. He could only looked down at the gun in confusion as he could practically feel the woman's eyes burning a hole through the gun, like she was trying to hint something. But… what? What she said doesn't really have any relation to Rocky what so ever.

Ross's final battle. The end of his life. He's going to lose himself. All Rocky has is a freaking gun, what's he supposed to do?

Rocky's eyes almost popped out of his head when he realised what he was supposed to do.

He's supposed to kill Ross.

The cause of his death.

He remembers Ross telling him about 'four knocks' and then he dies. But… he and Ross have met _four_ times…

All of a sudden it was starting to make sense to Rocky. But he couldn't do it… could he? He surely wouldn't have to be put in that position where he had to end his life… right?

Rocky slowly looked up at the woman, in shock and with tears glistening his eyes. He just shook his head "W-who are you?" he asked.

"I was lost. So very long ago." She said with a small smile.

The smile, Rocky recognised. It was almost like he saw that smile everyday – or use to, given that the human race is gone. Rocky just looked down at the gun in his hands, placing his fingers around it, but not resting his index finger on the triggers. His knuckles were white with the force of his grip. He looked back up to the woman again – only to find she was gone. Rocky twisted and turned his head, looking for her and raising the gun slightly, as if trying to protect himself.

This was just unbelievable.

In the whole of this time knowing Ross and travelling with him…

He didn't think it would have to end like this.

Ross sat on the floor of the spaceship with some wires in a mess in his hands, his legs dangling off a low platform with Wilf sat next to him. He turned towards the door as he saw Rocky hesitantly entering the room. Rocky nodded at him, with a weak smile "Got this old thing mended?" He asked.

"Just trying to fix the heating." Ross said, with a small bit of laughter.

Rocky groaned as he also sat down on the platform next to Wilf, who was sat in between Rocky and Ross now, and his legs also dangled off the edge the same as Ross's. "I've always dreamt of a view like that…" Wilf said, waving at the window as he could see planet Earth.

Ross glanced over at Wilf and smiled a little as he celebrated from where he was, rapping his hands on his knees. "Hee-he! I'm an astronaut!" Wilf then pointed over to the Earth "there's dawn over England – look! Brand new day," he paused for a moment "my wife's buried down there. I might never visit her again now."

Ross just looked at the machine, but looked up as Wilf turned to him. "Do you think he changed them?" Wilf asked "in their graves?"

Ross sighed "I'm sorry." He said, regretfully.

Rocky shook his head a little "It's not your fault." He said, his voice lowered.

"Isn't it?" Ross asked, obviously not accepting this. Sometimes he wonders if everything that happens to this planet is his fault, as he always seems to be there when something bad happens or when it's ended. Or in this case… ended.

Wilf watched Ross for a moment, agreeing with Rocky that it wasn't his fault, before looking back at Earth, pointing over at Germany "Ooh, 1948, I was over there. End of the mandate in Palestine. Private Mott. Skinny little idiot I was. Stood on this rooftop…"

Ross ran one hand through his hair and sighed deeply as he heard Wilf telling his little anecdote about the world war, not wanting to talk about it as it just reminded him of his own experiences in war. The Time War. Dalek's. Cyber Men. Canary Wharf. The Master with the Toclafane. The Dalek's again, along with Davros. He could go on, but he fears the list would be way too long. Those were just the top ones that were the worst for him – as he always seemed to lose someone close to him or someone he loved in them wars.

Cyber Men – Ryan when he decided to stay in the parallel world because the parallel version of himself died.

Canary Wharf – Ratliff.

The Master with the Toclafane – Laura because she decided she didn't want to travel with him anymore because of what happened. He would say Rocky too, but… he hasn't lost him yet.

The Dalek's and Davros – Rydel.

He really doesn't think he could be done with stories that reminded him of all that. But he let Wilf continue on anyways.

"…In the middle of a skirmish. Like a blizzard, all them bullets in the air. The world gone mad. Heh. Yeah, you don't wanna listen to an old man's tales, do you?"

"I'm older than you." Ross said.

"Get away…" Wilf said in disbelief, whereas Rocky just looked at Ross in near enough the same way.

"I'm 906." Ross said, calmly but perhaps a little amused by all this and their reactions.

"Nine hundred years! We must look like insects to you." Wilf said in awe.

"I think you look like giants." Ross said quietly.

Rocky sighed quietly, getting up from where he was and sitting between Wilf and Ross as he pulled out the gun he had in his pocket, presenting the butt of it to Ross "Listen, I… I want you to have this. I forgot Wilf had gave me it yesterday, and I thought…"

Ross folded his arms, drawing back a little as he shook his head "No."

"No but… if you take it, you could…"

"No." Ross said firmly, making Rocky lower the gun and stare at it. The reason why Rocky was giving Ross the gun was mainly so Rocky had nothing to shoot Ross with and so he didn't have too. Now it looks like he's going to have to do it no matter what. "You had that gun in the mansion," Ross said, understandingly "you could have shot the Master there and then."

Rocky looked almost embarrassed "Guess I was too scared."

"I'd be proud."

Rocky looked at Ross confused "Of what?"

"If you _were_ my brother." Ross said, tearing up and referring to earlier when The Master had mockingly called Rocky his brother. Rocky smiled weakly at him.

Wilf pressed his finger to his mouth, thinking hard "But you said… you were told 'he will knock four times' and then you die. Well, that's him, isn't it? The Master? That noise," he tapped his temple "in his head. The Master is gonna kill you."

Ross nodded, accepting this "Yeah…"

All Rocky could do was look down at this – knowing they were both so wrong. He sighed, lifting his head back up and offering Ross the gun "Then kill him first." Rocky said, holding it out to him.

Ross raised his eyebrows "And that's how the Master started."

Rocky lowered the gun once more, realising. "It's not like I'm innocent. I've taken lives," Ross said, starting to become tearful "then I got worse – I got clever," he said bitterly at his own actions "manipulated people into taking their own."

Silence fell over the three of them as Ross paused for a short while.

"Sometimes I think a Time Lord lives too long…" Ross admitted. He then eyed the gun that was resting in Rocky's hands and shook his head "I can't, I just can't."

"If the Master dies, what happens to all the people?" Wilf asked, helplessly.

Ross shrugged "I don't know."

"Ross, what happens?" Wilf asked, insistently.

"The template snaps." He said, speaking precisely.

"What, they go back to being human?" Rocky asked, as Ross nodded "they're alive? And human? Then don't you dare! Don't you dare put him before them!" Rocky started to yell, becoming furious with Ross "are you mad or something?! Are you completely losing yourse—"Rocky stopped before he could continue with that sentence, as it was now coming to light why Rocky had to do what he was hinted to do. Instead, he calmed himself down a little "Now you take this. That's an order, Rocky. Take the gun. You take the gun and save your life," Rocky said, he soon started to become tearful "and p-please don't die, you're the most wonderful man on Earth. I don't want you to die." Rocky said, trying his best not to cry even though the tears in his eyes were clear and right there threatening to fall.

As Ross gave Rocky a look of sympathy and loss, Rocky took Ross's hand and placed the gun on it. Ross also had tears in his eyes, but he pushed the gun away from him "Never." He said, making Rocky sob aloud as he couldn't hold it in anymore.

It was done, said and set in stone. Rocky was going to have to do this now, no matter what.

"A star fell from the sky." A voice spoke through into the ship.

Wilf gasped in shock, Rocky looked up and around the room as he heard the voice. Ross looked at the roof above, he wasn't surprised though in the slightest to hear the voice.

The Master stood in front of the Immorality Gate, his arms folded "Don't you want to know where from?" He asked.

Addams and Rossiter, who were both working on the ship, straightened up at the sound of the voice.

"Because now it makes sense, Ross." The Master continued on to speak.

"It's an open broadcast," Addams said, reaching out a hand to point warningly at Rossiter "don't reply or they'll know where we are!"

The Master continued "The whole of my life, my destiny. The star was a diamond. And the diamond is a white point star."

All of a sudden, Ross froze for a short while, moving suddenly and looking deeply distressed by this news.

"And I have worked all night to sanctify that gift. Now the star is mine. I can increase the signal. And use it as a life!" The Master said, as two scientists were working on a machine that held the white point star "do you get it now? Do you see? Keep watching, Ross. This should be spectacular! Over and out."

Ross started to breathe heavily with a strain on his face and his eyes widened in fear. "WH-what's he on about?" Rocky asked, nervously and worried "WH-what's he doing? R-Ross, what does that mean?!"

Ross started to shake a little "The white point star is only found on one planet – Gallifrey! Which means… it's the Time Lords. The Time Lords are returning."

"Well, I mean that's good, isn't it?" Rocky asked, eagerly and in some sort of confusion as to why Ross was so scared and panicked about this. "I mean, that's your people!"

Ross suddenly lunged forwards and grabbed the gun off Rocky, his finger sliding round the trigger, the weapon sitting comfortably in his hand. He stared at it as if it brought back memories before suddenly leaping to his feet.

It was time to end this once and for all.

Even though it wasn't going to stop what was going to happen.

* * *

**I'm crying. I'm physically crying bc the next chapter is the last action-filled chapter the other ones just... I won't say. Oh my god. I can't get over that we're only 2 chapters away from the end. Like omg. **

**Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! :) **

**Oh! Btw, are you guys ANY closer to figuring out who the woman is yet?**

_**5 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_


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